The relevance of the autonomy plan proposed by Morocco and the necessity for the United Kingdom to support this initiative were highlighted on Wednesday during a round table on the Moroccan Sahara, held at the British Parliament.
Held by Morocco's Embassy in London in collaboration with the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Morocco, the meeting underlined the ongoing development of the Kingdom's southern provinces under the enlightened vision of King Mohammed VI and the economic and environmental opportunities this brings.
On this occasion, several MPs and experts highlighted the security and defense challenges posed by an unstable global geopolitical context and the need to act swiftly to remedy them by strengthening partnerships with the UK's traditional allies.
Conservative MP Liam Fox pointed out that the UK's main allies, including France, Germany, Spain, the Netherlands, and the United States, have voiced their support for Morocco's autonomy plan.
"At a time when we face several global security threats, it makes no sense not moving forward with the Moroccan proposal," he said, calling for "an impulse to be given to Morocco, our main ally in the region," which offers "significant" potential for cooperation, particularly in security and defense.
Sir Simon Mayall, a retired British army officer and current Middle East adviser to the Ministry of Defense, pointed out that recent developments in global geopolitics are increasing security risks, particularly in areas lacking economic prospects and access to education and employment.
That's why supporting secure, stable, and prosperous countries that contribute to global efforts in this direction is a priority," he explained, adding that London must therefore "look to reliable and value-sharing partners (...) like Morocco."
In addition to boosting the Kingdom's economic potential, as well as its security and prosperity, support for Morocco's autonomy plan would "offer a solution to the humanitarian crisis in the Tindouf camps, which are in the meantime a hotbed of recruitment for terrorism or gangs linked to illegal migration."
The recent vulnerability of maritime routes underlines the imperative of preserving the Atlantic coasts, Sir Mayall said, pointing out that Dakhla is building the largest container port on the Atlantic coast of Africa, while Tangiers already has the largest port in the Mediterranean.
This port will have "an enormous impact on the whole of the Sahel," he pointed out, adding that improving the economic situation of the countries in the region "will in fact reduce the security risk."
Stressing the importance of the projects launched by Morocco on its Atlantic coast from an economic point of view along with cooperation with Rabat from a defense point of view, Conservative MP Daniel Kawczynski described the Kingdom as a model in terms of women's rights, religious tolerance, and the implementation of the rule of law and democracy.
Professor Marc Weller, Chair of International Law and Constitutional Studies at the University of Cambridge, stated that Morocco's position is based on the legal links between Morocco and the Sahara, noting that the existence of these links was confirmed by the International Court of Justice in 1975.
The President of the Dakhla-Oued Eddahab Regional Council, El Khattat Yanja, emphasized the "spectacular" development of the region with mega-projects benefiting local populations.
This wide-ranging development is in line with the Royal Vision to make the Kingdom's southern provinces a hub of economic, social, and environmental development, contributing to the growth of Africa, he added.
Morocco's ambassador to the United Kingdom, Hakim Hajoui, stressed that "the Moroccan autonomy initiative is the only realistic proposal for resolving this regional dispute," adding that its implementation would make it possible to transform all the threats facing the region into development opportunities.
The meeting was attended by fifteen MPs and Lords, including members of the Foreign Affairs Committee, who warmly welcomed the various presentations on the Moroccan autonomy plan for the southern provinces.
The meeting was also marked by testimonies from MPs and businessmen who had visited the region and witnessed its development firsthand.
