64th session of the General Assembly of the United Nations.
4th Committee.
October 7, 2009. New York
Speech by DR. Kei Nakagawa. Japan
Mr. President
I want to thank you for accepting my request for a hearing before this Honorable Committee to share my testimony on the Sahara issue. As a research specialist of Maghreb Arab affairs, I would approach this issue from a different perspective on what is already known.
My presentation will focus on development efforts in the region as a means to reduce the disparity, restore mutual trust, establish the foundations of reconciliation and ensure peace and stability in the Maghreb region.
Since the recovery of Morocco's Saharan provinces, the country has undertaken enormous efforts to develop the Sahara region, in terms of infrastructure, education, health and electricity and drinking water supply.
The large number of projects in the region is part of an effort to upgrade with the other Moroccan regions and a desire adapt to the specificities of the region and its socio-cultural specificity. It reflects the character played by local government with the people to best meet their expectations and needs.
This approach has been bolstered by the launch of the National Initiative for Human Development in May 2006 and the creation of the Agency for Economic and Social Promotion and Development of the southern provinces.
The autonomy plan proposed by Morocco in 2007 and supported by the Security Council of the United Nations is also part of this future vision which aims to provide the region with local and democratic institutions able to respond adequately to the real needs of population in terms of development and participation in political life. Thus, decentralization as described in the project of autonomy is as a way of making decisions and expressing power, which will continue with even greater efficiency, the Sahara development.
All these actions reflect the State’s will to put any effort to ensure the well being and tranquility of Sahrawis.
In an approach that aims to assess what has been achieved in these provinces to achieve the Millennium Development Goals, and therefore achieve the conditions for human security, we find that the efforts made by Morocco are well appreciated by the Saharawi population, indexes of improved living conditions of the population won very competitive scores nationally.
Morocco has activated several mechanisms to achieve these human development projects in the framework of a comprehensive, integrated and participatory approach. The approach is not exclusive for the Sahara, but concerns other parts of the country in order to attain the millennium goals for development. This approach reflects the good faith of Morocco and its willingness to apply the same strategies throughout the country, not excluding the Sahara region of its national development plans.
The relevant policy choice can only help ensure the success of the initiative of autonomy proposed by Morocco.
The Moroccan autonomy initiative in the Sahara region comes after more than three decades of stagnation in the Sahara dispute, as a proposed solution to the crisis, responding to a foreign solicitation and reflecting a level of political and social maturity.
The autonomy proposal for the Sahara region under Moroccan sovereignty is a historical opportunity that can meet all the requirements for a just and definitive resolution of this dispute that would revive the Arab Maghreb Union and ensure stability and security throughout the region.
Through the support of the international community to this proposal and the resolution prospects resulting from it, the Moroccan project represents an updated reading of regional balances of the post Cold War and especially the principle of self determination.
The negotiations process under the auspices of the United Nations has been possible thanks to the efforts of Morocco qualified as serious and credible by four resolutions of the UN Security Council.
Regarding the situation of human rights and the needs of the Saharawi population, it is permissible to ask about the rights of freedom of movement, right to education, health and private property. The comparison between the situation of the Saharawi community in the southern provinces of Morocco and in Tindouf camps as described in several reports shows major differences.
Reports on the Tindouf camps provide the following information:
• Strict military control to which are subject Sahrawi populations in Tindouf camps.
• Access to camps is extremely controlled with several check points to control populations, while reports also speak of thousands who tried to flee the camps to rally their home country, Morocco.
Given that information on the situation in Tindouf are rare, it is arguable that the United Nations has an obligation to act in the interests of the Sahrawi population.
In this regard the three proposals below may be of great help:
1. The United Nations should ensure the implementation of Article 12 of the Convention on the Status of Refugees of 1951.
2. The implementation of resolutions 1813 (2008) and 1871 (2009) to find a political fast and realistic solution to enable the Saharawi people to enjoy prosperity and security.
3. All parties concerned should strive to reach a compromise solution by going beyond political agendas, with the sole purpose being people’s interest, their prosperity and well-being. In this context, autonomy initiative is the ideal platform for all parties to demonstrate the spirit of compromise and engage in substantive negotiations.
Source: Corcas
- News on Western Sahara issue/ Corcas -