The Exercise by Morocco of its Sovereignty over its Sahara Goes within the Provisions of International law (A Former Minister and A Lawyer from Jordan)

The former Jordanian Minister of Municipal Affairs, current Deputy and Secretary General of the Al-Rissala Political Party, Mr. Hazem Qashou and the Jordanian lawyer and international arbitrator, Dr. Omar Aljazy, have spoken during the “Sahara Debate” citizens broadcast in order to reiterate the clear and the constant support of their country to the territorial integrity of Morocco and to the Moroccanity of its Sahara, and they praised the Moroccan autonomy initiative as being the only solution to the regional dispute.

Mr. Hazem Qashou recalled all of his numerous meetings and visits to Morocco, where he discovered that all the experts, writers and politicians, that he met, were engaged in the same fight, that of preserving the unity and the territorial integrity of Morocco. It represents the main pillar of the Constitution, for which the Moroccans have been fighting, in order to transmit a message of regional peace in favour of Morocco and for the whole world.

The Jordanian MP declared that since 1963, Morocco has deployed all the effort needed to recover its Sahara, which was then colonized by Spain, reaffirming that by Madrid Accords, approved by the United Nations Secretary General and the United Nations General Assembly, Morocco has gained its territorial integrity by recovering its Sahara from the Spanish power in 1975.

The Secretary General of the Jordanian political party indicated that since that time, Morocco has been providing an example of national unity in its quest for its territorial integrity, stressing that the Autonomy Initiative, submitted by Morocco to the United Nations in 2007, is a courageous and daring initiative that constitutes the only UN repository and platform for action to achieve a political solution to the regional dispute over the Moroccan Sahara.

Within that context, the Jordanian high official praised the precious efforts deployed by His Majesty King Mohammed VI intended to develop the Southern Provinces and turn them into a model for the rest of the Moroccan regions.

As supportive remarks, the former Jordanian Minister added, “we are discussing a Moroccan regional situation that we have witnessed and have experienced together whenever we visit the Sahara in Laayoune and Dakhla, through which we were able also to see the level of development. We can see that also through our readings and through our discussions with the public that show to what extent all Moroccans want the preservation of their territorial integrity ”.

Qashou recalled the latest United Nations Security Council resolution calling on all parties to work together to reach a political solution to the question of the Moroccan Sahara.

The last Security Council resolution 2494 identified the parts of the Round Table process, namely Morocco, Algeria, Mauritania and the “polisario”, and identified the sole purpose of the UN process, which is to achieve political, realistic, pragmatic and lasting solution, based on compromise by calling on Algeria to remain engaged in this process until its completion.

The high Jordanian official concluded his testimony by a strong symbolic message, in which he expressed the clear support of his country, as did the Late His Majesty King Hussein to his brother Late His Majesty King Hassan II, May God Bless his Soul, since the early sixties. As well as, now, His Majesty King Abdullah II does with his brother His Majesty King Mohammed VI, to say to everyone “Yes to the territorial integrity of Morocco!”, and, “yes to put an end to this situation in accordance with the decisions of International Law!”

As part of the same program, the Jordanian international Lawyer and Jurist, Dr. Omar Aljazy delivered a strong and a sincere testimony, in which he indicated that Morocco has provided everything in its power to settle the dispute over the Moroccan Sahara in legal terms and in accordance with the provisions of International Law. He added that the International Court of Justice has recognized, since the beginning of the dispute, the historic rights of Morocco over its Sahara.

The International Court of Justice affirmed, on October 16, 1975, that the region of the Moroccan Sahara was not at the time of the Spanish colonization in 1884 a “terra nullius”, and that bonds of allegiance existed between the Sultan of Morocco and the tribes of the region.

For Dr. Aljazy, there exists, on the historical level, a big ignorance of the history of the Moroccan Sahara. This history that is marked by a great diversity, a national pluralism and composed of various tribal components, which together form the particular cultural and social fabric of Morocco.

Dr. Aljazy indicated that the Sahara connects the north and the south of Morocco with a clear intervention of a unique tribal structure and a common linguistic heritage He adds that only a stranger to this history can deny the enormous sacrifices that the heroic Moroccan people made to liberate the Moroccan Sahara from a brutal colonialism. It is obvious that there is no evidence making the people of the Moroccan Sahara different from that of Morocco, as they speak the same language and practice the same religion.

However, what it is of an importance to this international lawyer is the issue of Morocco’s exercise of its sovereignty over its territory that he considers as being in accordance with the provisions of International law. It establishes its natural right to extend its authority over the Sahara, which is an integral part of its national territory and represents an essential component of its sovereign rights in the exploitation of its natural resources.

In fact, Dr. Aljazy affirmed that the economic ties between the north and the south of Morocco have never ceased from existing. It was only due to the long lasting existence of this regional dispute that a certain delay has taken place at the level of the economic revival of the Southern Provinces. He added that the presence of Consulates General of different African countries in the cities of Laayoune and Dakhla represents a proof of the vitality of the Moroccan Sahara, as being an important regional economic hub.

The new dynamic set in motion by Morocco has led to the opening, within two months, of ten Consulates General of a number of brotherly and friendly African countries, confirming the irreversibility of the Moroccanity of the Sahara. Added to that, a set of other countries from other continents have expressed their intention to open and set up their diplomatic offices in Laayoune and Dakhla in the coming months.