Morocco's initiative to grant broad autonomy to its southern provinces, the Sahara, is "one of a kind," as it offers a wide scope of autonomy to the local population, visiting chairman of the Foreign Affairs commission, Malian expatriates and African integration at the National Assembly of Mali, Amadou Bouaré, said here Wednesday.
Bouaré, who is leading a large Malian delegation, commended Morocco's autonomy plan to find a final settlement of the Sahara issue, as it grants enlarged autonomy to the Kingdom’s southern provinces "in terms of decision-making and the management and mobilisation of resources to face the challenges of development in these provinces."
During meetings with local officials, the Malian delegation was informed about the latest developments in the Sahara issue, in addition to Morocco's efforts to find a lasting solution under its territorial integrity.
"We are very impressed by the scope of local development programmes achieved at the level of Laayoune's commune and the region of Laayoune-Boujdour-Sakia-El Hamra," Bouaré said at the end of the meetings.
He added that his visit is an opportunity to "lay the basis of cooperation relations with local officials" and called for the signing "twining agreements between the communes of Morocco and Mali to foster the ties of friendship, solidarity and brotherhood between the two peoples."
The Malian delegation has also enquired about Morocco’s large projects in the field of human rights, freedom of expression, the reinforcement of women participation in politics and the involvement of the civil society in managing local affairs.
Source: MAP
News and events concerning Western Sahara issue/ Corcas