In fact, on 14 August 1979, representatives of the population of Oued Eddahab namely, clerics, notables and tribal chiefs, visited the capital of the Kingdom to present to HM King Hassan II, their oath of allegiance and reaffirm their unwavering commitment to the glorious Alawite Throne, to their Moroccanity and territorial integrity of the Kingdom from Tangier to Lagouira.
Since then, the southernmost wilaya of the Kingdom has experienced in implementation of the Royal High care given to the region, a substantial and consistent growth driven by an effort of huge investment and high momentum of local development.
Moments of national communion and popular jubilation, reflecting the perfect symbiosis between the people and the throne, the visit by His Majesty the late King Hassan II in 1980 and that of His Majesty King Mohammed VI in 2001 and 2002 in this region had printed a new impetus to the process of local development and the march of national unity, marking the unanimous and unwavering commitment to defend Morocco's territorial integrity and its inalienable rights.
In three decades, this region, which had a village of some informal settlements has become a huge economic site of social progress through consistent and integrated choices and programs and a strong political will to make this part of the Kingdom a regional development prosperous and forward-looking pole.
Deeply upside down and under-equipped in the wake of his return to the motherland, the region has focused the efforts of planning and development in all directions, conducted on all fronts (economic, social, cultural, urban) to fill the gap registered in terms of basic infrastructure, eliminate unsafe and dilapidated housing, meet needs and demands of the inhabitants, promote their settlement and the foundations of sustainable local development.
Since 2002, these works passed to a higher rate with programs and large-scale projects through urban renovation and renewal, restructuring of housing, improvement and extension of road network, generalization of urbanization documents, creation of new public services, establishment of businesses and social residents of the region which had, according to the 2004census, some 99,367 people.
Today, the fruits of these efforts are very tangible and shortcomings identified in the past in socio-economic sectors are becoming a distant memory.
Thus, the visitor who is now ashore in this part of the Kingdom will not fail to see the feverish activity of the sites opened in different places, and the changes that have reshaped its appearance, in particular roads and urban fabric.
Paved roads and streets, international airport, port, buildings and public facilities, houses and buildings ocher and yellow colored, hotels, stadiums, restaurants, pubs, cafes, public lighting and arrangement of plots: the region is indeed in a mutation in all directions and succeeded in a few years, the challenge of providing a welcoming face that enchants visitors.
This momentum of urban renewal and consolidation of socio-economic facilities is expected to be reinforced in the coming years through the upgrading and urban development program of facilities and infrastructure in the province of Oued-Eddahab for period 2009-2012.
With a value of 300 million DH, it comes as a series of actions relating to the establishment of infrastructures, and socio-economic setting, the upgrading and development of the urban fabric , strengthening the network of roads, development of areas of economic and industrial activities and environmental protection.
Among the actions planned under this program there is the upgrading of certain areas still under-equipped, completion of the construction of the cornice of the bay, upgrading urban public spaces, setting up a network of transversal paths and a driveway along the ocean and the development the network of quality renovated roads, enhanced by the construction of roundabouts.
The program also focuses on the completion of the equipment of the industrial zone and the realization of a zone of economic activity to concentrate all income-generating activities, in addition to a study on the vulnerability of the Bay preserving the ecological balance and landscape of the Bay through the implementation of a wastewater treatment and development of a regional park.
Oued Eddahab-Lagouira Region, which is celebrating the 30th anniversary of its return to the motherland, offers a wide range of economic undeniable advantages, particularly in the areas of fisheries, agriculture, tourism and livestock sectors that are major investment opportunities for development.
Main engine of economic and social development of the region, the fishing industry has undergone a mutation, both in terms of fish landings, evolution of the fleet of fishing, techniques used, results made possible through the management plan developed by the Department of Marine Fisheries to optimize performance and ensure a rational exploitation of fishery resources in the region.
In 2008, the industry recorded regionally produced 188.658 tons for a total value of more than 1084 million MAD.
The development of this activity in the region is based on the important fishery resources offered by its long Atlantic coastline of 667km, and the existing infrastructure: ports, 6 landing sites for artisanal fisheries, 7 fish farms 6 , 85 units of processing marine products, a professional qualification center and a marine fisheries research center.
Main factor for local development, the road network in the region, which had in 1979 some 67 km in poor condition, has undergone a remarkable evolution up to a total of 3369 km (893 km paved) for a total investment estimated DH 1.1 billion, injected in the sector to support national and international exchanges, support economic, social and tourism activities and improve the rural population.
In housing, the Housing Department has initiated several subdivision sites and programs against slum housing, created new residential areas and increased the funds allocated to the sector. These programs, with a value of over 1.132 billion DH led to the creation of 22,198 housing units between 1980 and 2008.
The camel-breeding activity has developed in recent years in this region (over 26,000 head), thanks to its pastoral character and development of several water points, it attracts camel herders from other neighboring regions .
The region has also a rich and diversified potentiality for tourism likely to give it a privileged place for tourism.
The region also experienced in recent years expanded irrigated lands mainly for production of vegetables in greenhouses, with a total area of 500 ha, with hydro-agricultural sophisticated equipment, with annual returns of 35 miles tons, 20 tons of tomatoes, 12 tons of melon, 2000 tons of cucumber and 1,000 tons of peppers and other products.
We should also recall the adoption by the regional investment committee last June an investment for a total value of more than 17 billion MAD, which will generate 4300 jobs in different sectors.
All these results show a strong desire to make the region a real pole in socio-economic development, providing all the living amenities.
Source: MAP
- News concerning Western Sahara issue/ Corcas -