Events

CORCAS Participates in C24 Regional Seminar in Nicaragua

The Royal Advisory Council for Saharan Affairs (CORCAS) is participating as part of a large delegation from the Kingdom of Morocco in the regional seminar of the UN Committee of 24 (C24) for the Caribbean, which is being held from May 25 to 27 in Managua, Nicaragua.

This delegation is headed by the Ambassador, Permanent Representative of Morocco to the United Nations in New York, Omar Hilale. It includes several officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation, and Moroccans Living Abroad, in addition to the Vice-President of the Royal Advisory Council for Saharan Affairs (CORCAS). Furthermore, at the invitation of the Chair of the C24 Committee, two local elected officials from the Moroccan Sahara, namely Ms. Ghalla Bahiya, from the Dakhla-Oued Eddahab Region, and Mr. M’hamed Abba, from the Laâyoune-Sakia El Hamra Region, are participating in this seminar for the eighth consecutive year. The participation of elected officials from the Moroccan Sahara in this C24 regional seminar, since 2019, has broken the exclusivity of the invitation enjoyed by the Polisario Front for decades. This seminar comes eight months after the adoption of the landmark UN Security Council Resolution 2797, which calls on the four parties to participate in discussions without preconditions, based on the autonomy plan under Moroccan sovereignty, in order to reach a definitive political solution. The meeting in Managua will provide an opportunity to inform Committee members and other participants of the latest positive developments related to the issue of the Moroccan Sahara, particularly in the context of the discussions initiated by the four parties following the landmark Resolution 2797. It will also highlight the growing international support for the autonomy plan under Moroccan sovereignty, backed by 130 countries, representing more than two-thirds of UN member states, including permanent members of the UN Security Council, as well as the cascading withdrawals of recognition from the self-proclaimed puppet entity. This seminar, which has seen record participation compared to previous editions, is being held under the theme "Renewed Commitments, Partnerships and Innovative Approaches," with a particular focus on "promoting resilience and sustainability in the face of climate-related challenges, in line with the Sustainable Development Goals." In this context, the Moroccan delegation will give a presentation highlighting the progress made within the framework of the New Development Model for the Southern Provinces, launched by His Majesty King Mohammed VI in 2015, with a budget of over $10 billion. This development model represents a true catalyst for transformation in the Moroccan Sahara region, enabling the implementation of structuring socio-economic projects, particularly in infrastructure, renewable energy, the blue economy, and desalination plants.