Standard Newswire
Contact: K. Drawi
On the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the famous Green March, HM King Mohammed VI, on Friday, November 6, 2015 paid an historic visit to the Southern Provinces.
As the Royal procession crossed the city’s avenues, the populations of the Laâyoune -Sakia El Hamra region gave the warmest and most enthusiastic welcome to the Monarch.
The Sovereign’s visit to this part of Morocco reflected the King’s constant care for the population of the region and His determination to guarantee their dignity.
In a speech delivered from Laâyoune and marking the 40th anniversary of the peaceful Green March that ended the Spanish colonization in southern Morocco, the Sovereign considered that conditions are now ripe for the dawn of a new era in the process to consolidate national unity and achieve full integration of the southern provinces into the motherland.
The Monarch pointed out that the implementation of the Development Model for the Southern Provinces and the application of advanced regionalization are part of that process.
The King also underscored that the development model of the southern provinces aims to “seal these provinces’ integration into the unified homeland and to enhance the influence of the Sahara region as an economic hub and a crucial link between Morocco and its African roots”.
In this respect, HM the King called on the Government to think about setting up hub airports in the Southern Provinces to serve African destinations, while examining the construction of a rail link between Tangier and Lagouira to connect Morocco with the rest of Africa.
The Sovereign also announced plans to build the Great Dakhla Atlantic Port, implement major solar and wind energy projects in the south and connect Dakhla to the national electricity network.
The Monarch said that an economic development fund will be set up to expand the economic fabric, support businesses and the social economy, generate steady income and create jobs, particularly for young people.
All these projects will be implemented to support the region’s economy and allow the inhabitants of southern regions to have the necessary means to enable them to manage their own affairs and show they are capable of developing their region, the Sovereign concluded.
