Hjira said in a statement to the press before the opening of this session that he would submit the new housing and construction program in the southern regions of the Kingdom before the Royal Advisory Council for Saharan Affairs in order to reach agreement on the outlines before submitting to His Majesty King Mohammed VI.

He explained that the program concerned the processing of more than 68 pieces of land to produce approximately 124 thousand housing units at 4.5 billion dirhams. He pointed out that this program is
aimed at eliminating all forms of inadequate housing in the southern regions to respond to the growing demand in the fiels of housing and future needs resulting from demographic growth.

In the context of the role assigned by His Majesty King Mohammed VI, rendering the Council a space for consultation and dialogue, to defend the Moroccan Sahara, and contribute to the economic and social development of southern regions, and maintain their cultural specificities under unified national identity. It aims also at enabling citizens to contribute by their suggestions in all issues relating to territorial unity, economic, social and cultural development in regions of the South.

According to Taoufiq Hjira, Minister of Housing and Reconstruction, the Government developed a program that aims to produce 40 thousand housing units in the southern regions, at approximately 1.4 billion MAD, in partnership with the Agency for the rehabilitation and development of the South. In addition, the "return" and "Unity" programs, which were launched in 1999 the southern regions were completed including a housing 20 housing units at a total cost of 1.2 billion MAD.

The first part of this program, which launched in 2005, concerns 5 thousand and 837 pieces of land, and 500 homes, as well as the restructuring of ill-equipped neighborhoods.
 
   Source: MAP
(News concerning Western Sahara issue / corcas)