Washington DC — Morocco needs a new powerful framework to overcome recent public relations setbacks in its never ending cold war with Algeria over the “Western Sahara.”
The time is ripe for Rabat to engage the underlying political and diplomatic preconceptions that led to a patchy Sahara policy. The key to a viable strategy in the Southern provinces rests with the creation of a “war room” that would incorporate different intelligence agencies and all Ministries, including Interior and foreign affairs, involved in implementing policies in the Sahara.
Recent events point to the need for a national strategy to merge domestic, international and economic assessments of the situation in the Sahara into one single vision. Time and time again, domestic and social episodes turned into international incidents. A high level interposition among the competing security and political entities will streamline the “Sahara policy” creating comprehensive international strategies and positive local dynamics.
One of the most favorable outcomes of the creation of a “war room” will be the removal of the long-running impediments to a complementary multifaceted strategy in the Southern provinces.
Improving the lives of the average Sahrawi is as important as reinforcing the political and diplomatic efforts on the international scene. In creating a sustained income stream for the population based on a strong self-sustained local economy, Morocco will earn international recognition.
Events such as Javier Bardem’s showing of an anti-Moroccan movie in Paris, violence during United Nations envoy visits to the Sahara or the upcoming Pro-Algeria activist Haider stay in Washington underscore the need to tighten and streamline Morocco’s response to the Algerian provocations.
A decision by a local Interior Minister official in the Sahara could carry several implications on the international scene. As such, close and coordinated efforts between all parties involved in the decision making process in the Provinces is critical to a successful implementation of the “Local Autonomy Plan for the Sahara.”
As Rabat casts local autonomy, and not independence, as the only viable resolution to the conflict, Moroccan politicians and officials must elucidate and expound the details of the Moroccan Proposal. Some Parliamentarians and political figures’ lack of knowledge about the aspects of this crucial dossier is shameful.
Dumping millions of dollars into lobbying efforts spins attitudes at the international level but doesn’t influence attitudes at the local Saharan level, if only because it gives the impression that Morocco is consolidating its positions. The fact remains, however, pro-Algeria elements are still active in Laayoune while Moroccan diplomats struggle to expose Polisario’s human rights abuses in the Tindouf Camps.
Morocco needs to appeal to a rising Sahrawi youth that doesn’t remember the Sahara war and holds very different expectations from government and politicians than their fathers and grandfathers did.
To succeed in winning the hearts and minds of all the Sahrawis, Moroccan authorities should rethink some aspects of their Sahara strategy. Unified and sustained security, economic and foreign policies could be the avenue to a successful implementation of the Local Autonomy Plan for the Sahara.
Concluding that the diplomatic-lobbying efforts to influence international attitudes are more important than local domestic policies is an oversimplification; in fact, small, targeted assistance programs for young Sahrawi may have more impact on the image of Morocco’s management style in the Sahara. Adopting the two strategies thru the creation of a “war room” would be a plus.
© Morocco World News. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, rewritten or redistributed