Moroccan Sahara: For FEM and Intercultura, autonomy is a serious and plausible option
The Moroccan autonomy initiative for the Moroccan Sahara is undoubtedly the « most precious and plausible » solution to solve the Sahara issue, consider the Spanish NGO officials, namely Yusuf Fernandez, the Secretary General of the Spanish Muslim Federation (FME) and Yonaida Selam, President of the cultural and social association Intercultura.
In fact, after the failure of the self-determination referendum option, given up by the United Nations, for its inapplicability on field, the Moroccan internal autonomy proposal for the Sahara has inevitably become the most credible and the most realistic option, as it meets the two disputing parties’ expectations: Moroccan Sovereignty over the territory and the autonomy of people living there or those who are excluded, as they are sequestered in Tindouf camps, in Algeria. It also creates a real dynamics in the negotiation process, initiated by the United Nations and the Security Council, under the patronage of the UN Secretary General and his personal Envoy to the Region.
Yet, one should notice the lack of progress of the formal and informal negotiation rounds, confirmed, once more, by Armonk talks, as the other party practices obstruction and politician bidding. “The Polisario, underlines Yusuf Fernandez of the FME, has made no attempt to move the stands closer and it still persists in its fiction of a Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR) in Tindouf camps, in the Algerian territory, while benefiting from Algeria’s support” and from the international aid granted by the international community to the sequestered people of Tindouf. By doing so, it is about to loose, slowly but certainly, the diplomatic support of an increasing number of countries who withdraw their recognition of the SADR and the Polisario as well.
Certainly, the international context pleads for this fair and equitable solution, of territory autonomy, which has the advantage of getting the international community out of a mess. The latter would like to eradicate terrorism and mafia networks raging in the region, which, once this issue is closed, might seriously look into the development opportunities in the Maghreb region.
Moreover, the internal regionalization project, initiated by the Kingdom, goes hand in hand with the autonomy initiative of the Moroccan Sahara, as it aims, as a last resort, to endow the country regions with a real autonomy in the management of the region matters and in land planning. This proves Morocco’s will to go forward in the implementation of this regionalization and powers decentralization process, with as key principles: local autonomy and good governance.
Consequently, and in the light of these evolutions, the FEM Secretary General and the President of Intercultura consider that the international community has to adopt a responsible stand by supporting the Moroccan approach and by trying to convince the other party to reconsider its former outdated positions and to have a positive and constructive stand in negotiations, to reach a mutually acceptable political settlement.