 The Moroccan Sahara holds the potential to become a strategic link from Morocco to sub-Saharan Africa, writes Rusif Huseynov, co-founder and director of the Topchubashov Center based in Baku, Azerbaijan.
In an article entitled "Moroccan Sahara 46 years after the Green March", the expert in socio-political developments explains that the Moroccan Sahara has become an economic priority for the kingdom, which has unveiled a grand plan with objectives for the economic development of "the great Moroccan South".
In 2015, the Moroccan government announced the largest investment program in the history of the Sahara. The ambitious development plan comprises a hundred projects in the southern provinces for the period 2015-2021 which has designed to turn this territory into a hub of investment, tourism and logistics.
The kingdom has allocated some 6,600 million euros for the construction of the new highway between the cities of Tiznit and Dakhla, universities, renewable energy parks, airports, desalination plants, hospitals and the mega-project of the Atlantic port of Dakhla, co-financed by the United States, Huseynov says.
With this infrastructure, Morocco is multiplying its efforts to speed up the socio-economic development of the southern provinces, he stressed, adding that much attention is attached to renewable energy as the city of Tarfaya now hosts the largest wind energy production park in Africa, which amounts to 300 MW, the goal is to provide electricity to 1.5 million households.
The Moroccan Sahara is finally entering the stage of investments, economic growth and prosperity, he underlines, noting that a lot of efforts and funding are being poured into the region, which indeed possesses sufficient potential to become a hub of tourism and logistics.
Highlighting the political stability enjoyed by this region under the leadership of HM King Mohammed VI, the expert stresses that the international community should support the efforts of Morocco, which has achieved in recent years, significant progress on the political, diplomatic and economic levels, regarding the Moroccan Sahara.
The U.S. recognition of Morocco`s sovereignty over the region in December 2020 is considered the most important of these achievements, which is a big blow to Algerians, he says.
In addition, some 26 countries have opened diplomatic missions in the Saharan cities of Laayoune and Dakhla, a move viewed as a recognition of Moroccan sovereignty, he adds, stressing that Washington also pledged to open a consulate in the region.
The director of the Topchubashov Center also recalls that the report of the UN Secretary General, António Guterres, to the General Assembly in October 2021, mentioned the blockage by armed elements of the polisario of the passage of El Guergarat, welcoming the restoration of traffic on this border crossing between Morocco and Mauritania, thanks to the peaceful and decisive actions taken by the Kingdom.
Referring to the recent municipal, regional and legislative elections held on 8 September 2021, he notes that the three regions of the Moroccan Sahara registered a record participation rate exceeding all other provinces, adding that the active participation of voters in these regions in the elections confirms, if need be, the Moroccanness of the Sahara.
The Topchubashov think-tank is a research center and a discussion platform dedicated to the issues of globalization, geopolitics and security.
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