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Ever since the end of the 1970's, the Sahara affair has been linked to the notion of consultation. Three principal committees could be cited in this respect: the special Council to the King, which was created in 1979, the Consultative Council in charge of Saharan Affairs (1981), and the Royal Commission responsible for Saharan Affairs (1999). The dahir n°1.79.74 of 19 March 1979 put in place the special Council to the King, within a particular international, diplomatic and economic conjuncture. This Council comprised every which political party represented in the Parliament.
The Royal Commission for Follow-up on Saharan Affairs, which was created on 23 September 1999. This committee is composed of representatives of the populations as well as of civil and military personalities. It was also put in charge of the restructuring and the reformulation of the missions of CORCAS.
I. the functional structure of the royal advisory council for saharan affairs Created by the dahir n°1.06.81 of 25 March 2006, CORCAS is part of the bodies put in place on the basis of Article 19 of the Moroccan Constitution. It is vested with a competence in relation with the Sahara region, pertaining as it is to the political, economic, social and cultural domains. A. the political functions A reading of the Royal speech relative to the nomination of the members of the Council allows one to conclude that it is not simply an amendment of the former Council. It is assigned the task of assisting His Majesty in all the affairs relative to the defense of the territorial integrity and national unity of the Kingdom (Article 1 of the dahir relative to CORCAS). Article 2 of this self-same dahir addresses the question of the political functions entrusted to the Council. In question here is the fact that it should submit to the Royal institution its opinion regarding all questions -be they general or special- that bear on the defense of territorial integrity. Also, the Council is called upon to fulfill all the missions it is tasked with by the King as far as the afore-mentioned matters are concerned. The Council could also formulate proposals pertaining to the initiatives, the projects as well as the measures relative to numerous domains. The functions of CORCAS could be divided up into two main missions. On the one hand, there is the defense of territorial integrity and national unity, in advisory capacity, and there is the mission of representation, on the other. The first mission that the Council is tasked with is the most important one. In fact, ever since its creation, the Council has looked into the implementation of a conception of the Project of autonomy in the provinces of the South. In fact, ever since its establishment, CORCAS concentrated on the defense of the Moroccan Initiative for Negotiating an Autonomy Statute in the Sahara Region. Thus, within the framework of its communicational strategy for the presentation of the autonomy Project, the Council has had a series of meetings with the populations of the provinces of the South (Es-Smara, Tan-Tan, Assa-Zag, Laâyoune, Dakhla, Boujdour). These meetings concretize the community-based policy adopted by the Council during its meetings with the elected members and the representatives of the political organs, with syndicated bodies, civil society, as well as with other social actors. The active participation of the Council in the elaboration of the text of the Moroccan Initiative for Negotiating an Autonomy Statute in the Sahara Region is manifested in the organization of an extraordinary session on 25 May 2006. During this session, the members of CORCAS looked into the debate on and the formulation of the autonomy Project at the organizational and functional planes. Indeed, the participation of CORCAS in the preparation of the autonomy Project reflects the importance of the consultative function that this institution is called upon to perform. As concerns the representative function, one observes that the dahir relative to the Council, the dahirs of nomination, as well as the Royal speeches all vest the Council with a certain legality that is both internal and external. At the internal level, the provinces of the South are henceforth represented by different active forces, and new elite has seen the light of day side by side with the Chioukhs (public notables) of tribes. Notably conspicuous here are the elected representatives, political, civil and scientific actors, former detainees, as well as former Polisario senior officials, a configuration that has been taken into account in the designation of the members of CORCAS. At the external level, Article 2 of the dahir relative to CORCAS stipulates that among the functions of the Council, one finds its participation, in coordination with the competent authorities, in the works and meetings of the international bodies and organizations. Thus, this representative function puts in question the allegations of the Polisario Front, which declares itself as being the « unique and legitimate representative » of all the Sahrawis. CORCAS falls then within the framework of the representation of the entire Sahrawi population, which explains why the first action undertaken by the Council within its function of representation consisted in addressing a letter to the international pro-Polisario civil society on 21 April 2006. B. the economic and social functions Ever since their recuperation, the provinces of the Moroccan South have come to witness some remarkable development, a fact which has been confirmed in the report released by the « International Crisis Group ». According to the latter, Morocco invested, over a thirty-year period, the sum of 4.2 billion dollars on infrastructure projects. Hence, the report came to the conclusion that the Sahrawis living in the provinces of the South enjoy a far better standard of living than that of the sequestered of Tindouf, thanks in fact to the Moroccan investments in the region. However, the demographic development characterizing the regions of the South has engendered some new socio-economic challenges. This is precisely what explains, within the framework of the reactivation as well as restructuring of CORCAS, the fact that it is imperative that this institution be endowed with economic and social prerogatives. Following the adoption of internal regulation, and the setting up of permanent Commissions, the Council has established many a meeting with the populations concerned, the objective being to catalogue their claims and preoccupations on matters of development. Hence, CORCAS has worked on social and economic questions with a view to resolving certain problems; or still more, launching development projects. II. a preliminary assessment of the activity of corcas It is true that the reactivation of CORCAS is a recent initiative, which will not allow us to elaborate a global appraisal of this institution. Notwithstanding, the period stretching from March 2006 through May 2008 allows for the bringing up of some quantitative indices (A), as well as qualitative ones (B), the objective being to evaluate the work that the Council has done over a period of two years of activity. A. the quantitative indices At this level, two major indicators will be brought to the fore: the sessions of the Council (1) and the diplomatic meetings held by the latter (2). 1. the sessions of corcas Pursuant to Article 7 of the dahir n°1.06.81 relative to CORCAS, the Council meets at least twice a year in ordinary sessions. Yet, the same article adds that the Council could also meet in extraordinary sessions whenever this seems necessary. It is appropriate to specify thus that in order to take stock of the activity of any institution, it is imperative that the latter be analyzed through its sessions, along with the questions raised therein. Also, such analyses will be had thanks to the conclusions and recommendations that are adopted during the sessions of this institution. Ever since it was put in place, CORCAS held 5 ordinary sessions and 3 extraordinary ones. Among the most important ones, the following are in order: The first ordinary session from 4 to 6 April 2006. This session constituted the fundament of the Council itself. It was essentially devoted to the adoption of an internal regulation which was submitted to the King for appreciation. Also, this session was devoted to the election of 9 vice-presidents who would constitute the Council board;
The extraordinary session of the year 2006. The agenda of this session, held in Rabat, included two essential points. The first point concerns the constitution of Commissions that are specified by the internal statute of the Council. The second point, in turn, was devoted to the conception by the members of CORCAS of the Moroccan Autonomy Project, as well as the structure and prerogatives of the region before submitting it to the appreciation of the King;
In view of its particularity, this session was held on two different dates. The first part of the session in question took place on 25 to 27 May 2006. It was devoted to the study of the autonomy Project from a legal and institutional point of view, while the second part of the extraordinary session of CORCAS took place on 4 and 5 December 2006; The second ordinary session of 21 and 22 December 2006. This session was devoted to economic and social affairs. The Council looked therein into the study of the housing project in the provinces of the South. This took place within the framework of the sustainable development of these provinces; The extraordinary session of 16 April 2007. The unfolding of this session practically coincided with the presentation by Morocco of its autonomy Initiative to the Security Council on 11 April 2007. It was thus imperative that the Council meet in an extraordinary session in order to study the autonomy Project, which all the members of CORCAS support;
The first ordinary session of 29 and 30 May 2007. «Maritime fishing at the service of development in the provinces of the South, and youth employment in the field of small-scale fishing » was a crucial point on the agenda of this ordinary session in the year 2007. The session was closed with the adoption of a maritime fishing project that aims at integrating the youth of the region into the sector of small-scale fishing;
The second ordinary session of 17 and 18 December 2007. Its agenda raised two main points: The first is connected with the question of autonomy as a solution that allows for making real the dignified reconciliation and return of the sequestered to their mother-land. The second point, in turn, bore on the problematic of air transport as well as on the road network in the provinces of the South;
The first ordinary session of 2 and 3 May 2008. This session is in keeping with the changes that have marked the Sahara dossier, notably the adoption of Resolution 1813 by the United Nations Security Council, which invited the parties in conflict to show evidence of realism during the negotiation. This session was wrapped up with the adoption of a number of projects in the health sector, all to the advantage of the provinces of the South.
One thus observes that the sessions held by CORCAS are amply reflective of the work undertaken by the Council. They also translate its adaptability to the evolutions affecting the Sahara dossier. Added to this are the various socio-economic questions to which the Council has devoted certain sessions on the development of the region, as well as the improvement of the standards of living of Sahrawi citizens. 2. the diplomatic activity of corcas Following its reactivation, CORCAS held a series of meetings and round tables with a certain number of international personalities, either by organizing international tours by the President of the Council and the board members ; or by receiving several internationally renowned political personalities at the CORCAS headquarters, the objective being to spread out knowledge and define the new policy led by Morocco with a view to settling the Sahara conflict, as well as the presentation of the Moroccan Autonomy Project. One could classify the meetings in question under two major categories : Europe, on the one hand, and America, on the other. Europe. This region sparked the interest of the Council in view of the important role that it plays in the Sahara dossier. Besides, this interest finds justification in the nature of relations and interests that this region maintains with the different parties in conflict. It is in this sense that several delegations have been dispatched by the Council to a certain number of European countries;
America. During their visit to the USA, the Chairperson, along with the board members, met with several American top-level officials. Among these, the deputy-Advisor of the President to the National Security Council in charge of the Middle-East and Strategy for Global Democracy, M. Elliot Abrams, as well as M. Gordon Gray, deputy under-Secretary of State for the Near-East, in charge of the Maghreb. In addition, the Council organized some meetings with the scientific personalities that belong to various centers for strategic studies. Equally important are the meetings held with the members of the US Parliament (Democrats and Republicans alike), the Moroccan nationals living in the USA, the members of the American press, as well as a number of senior officials at the head of American non-governmental organizations.
All these meetings had for a major objective to present the broad outlines of the Moroccan Autonomy Project, which had been in preparatory phase before it was later submitted to the Security Council. The Council was also received at the main office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), on 26 June 2006. It also took part in the works of the 14th Congress of the Non aligned movement (NAM) in Havana, as well as in the meeting of the 4th Commission of the United Nations. Besides, the chairman of CORCAS received several personalities from differing persuasions. It transpires then that the visits made abroad by the delegations of the Council; or also the meetings organized at the main offices of latter, reflect the dynamism that CORCAS has shown during its last two years of activity. At the international level, the mission of CORCAS aims in fact at delimiting the missions it is put in charge of, as well as the defense of territorial integrity, and the Autonomy Project. B. the qualitative indices Of the multiple qualitative indices marking the activity of CORCAS, we offer to look into two types of indices : the first pertains to the contribution of CORCAS towards the return and integration of the sequestered of Tindouf, through « the G'jijimate affair » (1). The second index will be about the active participation of CORCAS in the Manhasset negotiations (2). 1. the contribution of the council to the return and integration of the sequestered of tindouf : the g'jijimate affair While the Polisario Front was organizing its 12th Congress in Tifariti, several dissidents met in G'jijimate, near Tifariti, representing as they were the popular masses of the camps of Tindouf. During a congress that was organized by these dissidents, the latter expressed their categorical refusal of the policy adopted by the current leaders of the Polisrio Front, as well as decried the Front's bad handling of the negotiations that were held by the Kingdom of Morocco in Manhasset under the aegis of the United Nations. In a communiqué that was adopted during the congress held in G'jijimate, the Chioukhs and leaders of tribes expressed their unconditional support for the Moroccan Initiative for Negotiating an Autonomy Statute in the Sahara Region. Moreover, they expressed their will and determination to put an end to this conflict, which has done nothing but to trigger off humanitarian dramas that stall the development of the region. In the same vein, CORCAS played a considerable role, and deployed so much effort in order to secure the return of the « G'jijimate group » in Morocco, both directly and indirectly. The indirect level translates in the calls launched by the Council ; the latter invited the Polisario Front to show evidence of more realism and sound judgment. At the direct level, the Council took care of the return of the « G'jijimate group » to the mother-land. Also, Article 2 of the dahir relative to CORCAS stresses the fact that, within the framework of the functions it is vested with, this institution is put in charge of formulating proposals that guarantee the return and integration of practically all the Moroccans who come from the provinces of the South. It is in precisely in this sense that the Council adopted an approach that aims at securing the dignified return of the « G'jijimate group » along with their families. 2. the positive participation of corcas in the manhasset negotiations The important place that CORCAS occupies has been reinforced through its participation in the negotiations of Manhasset, which were held in four rounds under the aegis of the United Nations, and which sought to find a definitive solution to the Sahara dispute. In fact, the presence of the President of CORCAS in the Manhasset negotiations is a further concretization of the new approach led by Morocco within the framework of the settlement of the Sahara dispute. This approach aims first at having all the persons concerned by the Sahara affair participate in the settlement of the conflict. It also seeks to present this affair to the international Community by way of diplomatic campaigns. Essentially, what this means is that CORCAS is the sole representative of the populations of the provinces of the South, not the Polisario. Othmane GOUZA
Research-student at the faculty of law, Sale
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