The UN Security Council recently adopted Resolution 2797 on the Western Sahara issue, reaffirming its support for the UN-led political process and reiterating the importance of the autonomy initiative presented by Morocco in 2007 as a serious and realistic solution to this regional dispute. This resolution represents a clear continuation of international support for the Moroccan position and underscores the credibility of its efforts to achieve stability and development in the region.

Observers of the Sahrawi issue believe that this UN decision will give strong support to the development dynamics in the southern regions of the Kingdom, and will open up broader prospects for the completion of more structured projects, the development of infrastructure, and the encouragement of local businesses to contribute to the economic take-off.

Those who follow the Moroccan Sahara issue believe that the international consolidation of the autonomy initiative contributes to establishing a climate of social and economic stability in the Sahara, and supports public policies aimed at developing both the human being and the region, especially in the employment, education and health sectors, which enhances the integration of the local population into the comprehensive development process, and establishes the image of the southern provinces as a model for sustainable development in the African continent.

Farid Ikesen, head of the International Organization for Supporting Autonomy in the Sahara, said that “Morocco is pleased with the recent Security Council resolution, as it contains clear gains in its favor, since the most important thing in it is the complete break with the idea of the referendum that the Polisario Front and Algeria were calling for; the referendum option is no longer on the table as a negotiated solution, and it cannot be demanded in the future.”

Ikesen explained to Hespress that “the only solution on the table today is the proposal put forward by King Mohammed VI in 2007, which is the autonomy project; this is the framework whose details will be negotiated in the future, including the bodies, mechanisms, working methods, competencies, and other organizational aspects that frame this realistic and serious project.”

The same spokesperson added that “the importance of this decision is reflected in the level of local development, as investors were previously hesitant to direct their funds towards the southern regions due to the ambiguity surrounding their future. Today, this apprehension has completely disappeared, because Moroccan sovereignty has become clear and stable, making the region a safe and attractive destination for investments.”

Farid Ikesen concluded his statement by emphasizing that “this new stability will open up broad prospects for the flow of investments, and will contribute to strengthening the development model for the southern regions launched by King Mohammed VI in 2015, with the aim of building an integrated infrastructure and linking the north of the African continent with its south; thus making Morocco an economic and strategic gateway between Africa and Europe.”

Integrated development

For her part, Yasmine El Hajj, head of the Horizons Forum for Culture and Development and an observer of Sahrawi affairs, said that “the importance of the latest UN Security Council resolution lies in the fact that it goes beyond the political and diplomatic dimension, to be reflected directly on the level of local development in the Sahrawi regions.”

Hajj confirmed to Hespress that “the recent development in the Western Sahara issue will make those regions a rising economic hub, and it also strengthens Morocco’s international credibility. This will directly impact local development in the southern provinces by attracting investments, creating job opportunities, supporting economic projects, and improving services provided to the population.”

The spokesperson concluded her statement by emphasizing that “the Security Council resolution on the Moroccan Sahara will contribute to improving human development indicators by expanding social, health, educational and cultural services, making southern Morocco a model for integrated and sustainable development.”