The French official said that with ambitious development projects, the southern provinces will be the “Moroccan Florida.”
Rabat – Founder of the Crans Montana Forum Jean-Paul Carteron said that the US’ recognition of Morocco’s sovereignty over Western Sahara demonstrates its determination to end “an unhealthy and hopeless” situation.
Carteron’s remarks came in an analysis entitled “the metamorphosis of the South: truth and good law always triumph in the end,” cited by Morocco’s state media.
The US President Donald Trump on Thursday announced his recognition of Morocco’s sovereignty over Western Sahara, affirming that his country has no option but to support Morocco in its cause.
“Morocco recognized the United States in 1777. It is thus fitting we recognize their sovereignty over the Western Sahara.”
Development projects in the southern provinces
Labeling it as an “extraordinary” and historic decision, Carteron said in his analysis that the US’ recognition of Western Sahara as part of Morocco’s territory removes obstacles for the involvement of public and private US entities in the southern provinces’ development projects.
The French official cited the social and economic development of the southern province of Dakhla as a “magnificent achievement,” making it an “example of the 21st century” in the eyes of the African continent.
King Mohammed VI announced during his 2020 Green March anniversary speech on November 7 a number of development projects in the south of Morocco. These include the Dakhla Atlantic Port, as well as several wind farms across Western Sahara.
Head of Government Saad Eddine El Othmani said on November 30 that Morocco’s 2016-2021 development program in the southern provinces has reached a completion rate of 70%.
Carteron described the upcoming arrival of American companies to Morocco’s southern provinces as a “metamorphosis.”
American startup Soluna Technologies and Morocco’s AM WIND are planning to build a 900 megawatt wind farm in Dakhla, an example of the type of project Carteron expects to multiply.
The founder of the Crans Montana Forum said that the region will be the “Moroccan Florida,” or a “southern Tangier.”
The Crans Montana Forum, which is an NGO that promotes human values in collaboration with renowned organizations such as the UN, UNESCO, FAO, the Council of Europe, and the EU, was set to lead a visit to Dakhla between March 18 and 21.
The visit, with the aim to discuss South-South cooperation, did not take place due to the spread of COVID-19.
On Algeria
In his analysis, Carteron said that the Algerian intelligentsia will no longer accept what he called an “illogical endless war” with Morocco, of which the Algerian people have always been the “first victim.”
Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita said on May 4, during the Online Summit of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), that Algeria is fueling separatism and diverting resources from its people for acts of regional destabilization.
“This country, instead of using its resources to improve the precarious situation of its population in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, diverts them to fuel regional destabilization,” added Bourita, in an insinuation to Algeria’s backing of the Polisario Front.
Carteron believes that the rest of the world will follow the US in its recognition of Morocco’s sovereignty over Western Sahara, arguing that a global movement is taking shape in favor of Morocco regarding the Western Sahara question.
The global recognition of Western Sahara’s Moroccan nature, according to Carteron, will “reject the unbearable effects of this incessant blowing of smoke of which the Kingdom has been the victim for over 45 years.”
