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Rabat – Nasser Bourita, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, said that Morocco’s autonomy plan for the Sahara region is part of the country’s ongoing efforts to build a democratic and modern society based on the rule of law; individual, collective, and economic freedoms; and social development.
In an address read on behalf of the Permanent Representative of Morocco to the UN Omar Hilale, Bourita stressed that Morocco’s initiative was established within the framework of international legality “to guarantee all the collective and individual rights as decided by international instruments, in particular those relating to human rights, natural resources, and the self-determination principle.”
“The autonomy plan presented by Morocco has been developed to guarantee all Sahrawis outside and inside, in their pluralistic, tribal, and intergenerational composition, their full place and role, without discrimination or exclusivity.”
The autonomy plan presented by Morocco provides for the establishment of an order of far-reaching constitutional and political principles, which will allow the inhabitants of the Sahara to democratically manage their affairs through legislative, executive, and judicial bodies with exclusive competences, he explained.
Bourita further emphasized that the Saharan regions will have the necessary financial resources for their development in all fields, while participating actively in the economic, social, and cultural life of Morocco.
Bourita pointed out that the city of Dakhla “is an exemplary illustration of the efforts made by the Kingdom of Morocco and its vision for the development of the southern provinces.”
“Like all other Saharan cities, Dakhla has experienced in recent years a profound transformation and substantial progress at all levels that has made it today a flagship and exemplary city for the Kingdom of Morocco at the international level.”
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The minister recalled that a new development plan for the southern provinces has been created, stating that a budget of more than MAD 77 billion has been allocated for various projects in the economic and industrial fields, agriculture, marine fisheries, tourism, promotion of Hassani culture, health services, education, technology, and infrastructure.
The objective of Morocco is to allow the Sahara to play its historical role as a hub for trade between Morocco and Africa and also with the countries of the north, the minister said. He also noted that the Sahara will be established as a reference geostrategic space, for peace, stability, and shared prosperity for the entire Euro-African region as well as for the rest of the Sahel-Saharan region.
“The opportunities offered by the advanced regionalization and development efforts led by Morocco will make the Sahara region an integrated economic hub, and will help to promote the success of the autonomy plan proposed by the Kingdom of Morocco for the settlement of this artificial dispute,” the minister added.
Bourita’s address was given on the occasion of the opening of the International Academic Conference “Models of Territorial Self-Government: Common Points and differences,” held July 2-3 in Dakhla.
