Mr Maoulainain said the new structure, created by His Majesty King Mohammed VI on March 25, 2006, represents all the Saharan tribes.

He also reviewed the objectives assigned to the Royal Advisory Council for Saharan Affairs, in particular contributing to the drafting of regional autonomy under Moroccan sovereignty, as well as contributing to the identification of development programs for this region.

On the other hand, the Secretary-General of the Council said that the UN concluded that referendum was technically impossible in the Sahara, highlighting that autonomy, which takes into account the preservation of national sovereignty and specificities of the region as well as international standards in this area, remains the best solution to allow local people handle their own affairs sparing the region the dangers of instability.