This "central aspect" of the Sahara issue is "completely left out accidentally or deliberately of the discussions and agenda of the international organizations," said Cherkaoui in an address to the annual meeting of the Young Democrats of America.

    The Research Director at the Paris-based National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS) underlined the need to address the social bond aspect with a view of sparing the Sahrawis and non Sahrwis "a foreshadowed humanitarian tragedy in case the social ties are broken down."

    Referring to his Essay, "Morocco and the Sahara", Cherkaoui made it clear that “without the Sahara the history of Morocco could not be understood, and without Morocco, the Sahara would be no more than a desert.”

     Morocco’s initiative to grant substantial autonomy to its southern provinces the Sahara will foster this social bond, he said, adding that this proposal will also unite all Sahrawi tribes.

    The second main thread of the essay examines the social integration of the Sahrawi population. Cherkaoui stressed notably on the increasing exogamy between the Sahrawis and the rest of the Moroccan population.

Source: Map

 Events concerning Western Sahara issue