On Saturday, November 23, 2024, a conference titled “The Autonomy Plan for the Southern Regions: Challenges and Prospects” was held at the Espace Lucie AUBRAC in Asnières-sur-Seine, France. This conference was organized by the Paris Committee in collaboration with several international organizations and associations, most notably the International Coordination for Supporting the Autonomy of Moroccan Sahara.
Session Details:
The session featured the attendance of Mahjoub Salek, the Sahrawi opposition leader and head of the “Line of Martyrs” movement, who emphasized the importance of the autonomy initiative proposed by Morocco as a solution to end the fabricated conflict in the Sahara. He highlighted the increasing support from major countries, such as the United States, France, and Spain, for this initiative, which he described as a realistic and sustainable solution to overcome the current impasse.
Salek presented an overview of the challenges facing the autonomy project, focusing on recent geopolitical and diplomatic shifts. He also called for leveraging this international momentum to implement the project practically on the ground.
The session was moderated by journalist and activist Mahfoud Baklem, who helped guide the discussion and highlight key points related to the Moroccan Sahara issue.
Discussion Topics:
- Review of the development of the autonomy initiative since its launch.
- Increasing international support for the Moroccan initiative.
- Challenges related to the practical implementation of autonomy.
- The role of the international community and the Moroccan diaspora in defending territorial integrity.
Attendance:
The conference saw wide participation from members of the Moroccan diaspora in France and several individuals interested in the Moroccan Sahara issue, who engaged with the presentations and raised questions about ways to enhance this initiative internationally.
Context of the Session:
This conference is part of a series of meetings aimed at raising awareness of the importance of the autonomy initiative as the sole option to end the fabricated conflict in the Sahara, while reaffirming Morocco’s commitment to its territorial integrity and its ongoing defense of its legitimate rights in the face of various challenges.
From the website: Fes News