Dakhla: Start of the 3rd edition of the AUSACO Policy Conference.
The third edition of the Policy Conference of The Coalition for Autonomy in the Sahara (AUSACO) opened this Wednesday in Dakhla, bringing together leading figures from the worlds of academia, diplomacy, and politics, alongside civil society representatives.
This two-day conference takes place within a new and unprecedented context, driven by the historic adoption of UN Security Council Resolution 2797. This resolution enshrines the Autonomy Plan under Moroccan sovereignty as the sole political solution to the regional dispute over the Moroccan Sahara.
Speaking on this occasion, the Regional Coordinator for Africa of AUSACO and President of the Center for Strategic Intelligence for Peace (CIS-Paix), Abdellatif Aidara, began by welcoming the historic adoption of Resolution 2797, which fully enshrines the legitimate, historical, and legal sovereignty of Morocco over its Sahara, placing this edition in a context marked by a major turning point in the definitive resolution of this artificial conflict.
Mr. Aidara emphasized that Resolution 2797 consecrates the autonomy plan under Moroccan sovereignty as the sole political solution to end this artificial conflict, while reiterating the constant support of his country, Senegal, for the Moroccan nature of the Sahara.
On the same occasion, Mr. Aidara stated that this achievement was made possible thanks to the significant efforts undertaken by Morocco under the wise leadership of His Majesty King Mohammed VI.
He added that these efforts have, among other things, helped unite the entire African continent around a shared vision aimed at development in the service of peace and stability, as illustrated by the Royal Atlantic Initiative, which enables African countries to benefit from the unprecedented momentum experienced by the Moroccan Sahara region as a space of peace, security, and prosperity.
Mr. Aidara emphasized that this positive momentum has been accompanied, on the political level, by a series of withdrawals of recognition of the so-called entity, particularly in recent years in Africa and in Latin and Central America, while highlighting the growing interest of major global economic powers in investing in the Kingdom’s Southern Provinces.
He stressed that this breakthrough was achieved thanks to the significant efforts undertaken by Morocco under the visionary leadership of His Majesty the King, noting that this dynamic has helped consolidate considerable diplomatic and political gains at the international level.
He also highlighted the transformation of the Moroccan Sahara region into a strategic economic hub, considered a driving force and a model for socio-economic development across the African continent.
This momentum has materialized through the launch of large-scale projects and structuring initiatives carried out במסגרת the New Development Model for the Southern Provinces, launched in 2015, he said.
The third edition of the AUSACO Policy Conference will take the form of discussion panels aimed at reflecting on future prospects for the definitive resolution of the Moroccan Sahara issue, in light of the historic adoption of Resolution 2797. This comes within an international dynamic marked by growing support for the Moroccan character of the Sahara and for the autonomy plan under Moroccan sovereignty as the sole political solution to this regional dispute.
The conference will conclude with a political declaration by AUSACO members reaffirming their support for Morocco’s territorial integrity, as well as an action plan to accompany the growing momentum of support for the Moroccan nature of the Sahara.
Among those who took part in the opening ceremony of this third edition were the Secretary-General of the Dakhla-Oued Eddahab Wilaya, Abderrazak El Gourji, the Vice-President of the Regional Council, Moulay Boutal Lembarki, in addition to the consuls general accredited in Dakhla, AUSACO members, and civil society stakeholders from the region.
