Official EU report: Residents of the southern regions of the kingdom benefit fully from existing agreements between Rabat and Brussels
The European Union has once more emphasized in its report 2022 how crucial it is to make sure that the people living in the southern regions of the kingdom fully benefit from the agreements reached between Rabat and Brussels and their favorable effects on the socioeconomic development of these regions.
The publication of this annual report, by the European Commission and the European External Action Service, is a requirement of the agreement in the form of a letter exchange amending Protocols 1 and 4 of the Morocco-EU Association Agreement, also known as the “agricultural agreement,” which became effective on July 19, 2019.
As in previous years, the positive tone of this report, which details the various aspects of the benefits of this agreement for the inhabitants of the southern regions of the kingdom, reflects the quality of the existing partnership between Morocco and the European Union, and testifies to the satisfactory implementation of the agricultural agreement, particularly through the mechanisms of dialogue and exchange of information existing between the two parties.
- Positive effects on socio-economic development
This report confirms the upward trends for the year 2021, in terms of trade between the two parties, thanks to the agreement and the customs preferences enjoyed by Moroccan products, including products from the southern regions, for export to the European Union, making them more competitive and attractive.
The report affirms the agreement’s beneficial effects on economic growth, the production and export of agricultural and fisheries products, the creation of jobs and investment opportunities, and the socioeconomic development of the Moroccan Sahara regions and its inhabitants.
The main finding is that, as a result of ongoing growth, the Moroccan Sahara regions have now established themselves as a true center of prosperity and investment within the context of a win-win partnership with the European Union.
The roughly 30-page document emphasizes the significant development of the kingdom’s southern regions under the “Development Program 2016-2021” through the implementation of balanced projects and various public policies in these regions. It also emphasizes the results of the actions taken and their cascading effects on investment, bettering working conditions, integrating women into society economically, firmly supporting youth, and building infrastructure.
- Major efforts and huge investments
The report also shows that the Commission and the European External Action Service acknowledge the kingdom’s tremendous efforts in its southern regions to use natural resources in a reasonable and sustainable manner (Dakhla port project, seawater desalination plant project, program to combat desertification …). The report also highlights the sizeable national investments made in the renewable energy industry, the region’s electricity generation, and the growth of new industrial activities that modernize employment opportunities.
As part of its holistic solution, the report notes that numerous economic actors and members of civil society, including non-governmental organizations active in the area’s human rights sector, have emphasized the agreement’s critical importance, its successful implementation, and its favorable effects on the socioeconomic development of the Moroccan Sahara regions.
The authors of the report emphasize that “The agreement is implemented in a fair manner. The systems for efficient implementation are still in place and working as intended. Information has been shared on a regular basis and with a cooperative attitude. The exchange system, which provides information on product exports on a monthly basis, is effective and hasn’t created any problems for researchers “He said.
They claim that in order to ensure the proper implementation of the agreement, the European Commission and the Moroccan authorities have a productive dialogue and frequent contact.
- Significant achievements in the field of human rights
In order to review all areas, the European executive and the European External Action Service highlighted Morocco’s important efforts and achievements in the field of human rights at the national level, and its active role at the multilateral level, as evidenced by its election as a member of the Human Rights Council for the period between 2023 and 2025. It recalls the regular dialogue between Morocco and the European Union in the framework of the Sub-Commission on Human Rights, Democracy and Governance, as well as the important role played by the regional human rights commissions of Dakhla and Laayoune, which was reaffirmed in the recent Security Council resolution.
Regarding the national issue, the document recalls EU backing for the UN-led process and Staffan de Mistura’s efforts as the new personal envoy for the UN Secretary General. Additionally, it emphasizes the European Union’s willingness to support and strengthen regional cooperation.
- A striking statement for Algeria
This is a new strike by the European institutions against the propaganda of the opponents regarding the so-called “plundering” of the resources of the southern regions, since the report highlights the importance of this agreement for the southern regions, which contradicts the objective pursued by the opponents, namely to deprive the inhabitants of these regions of their right to development.
Therefore, it is yet another setback suffered by Algeria and the “Polisario,” who keep trying in vain to challenge the legitimacy of agreements between the EU and Morocco, which include the southern provinces. It also follows the London Administrative Court’s ruling rejecting their legal challenge to the partnership agreement between Morocco and the United Kingdom, which upheld the legality of this agreement, which benefits the population and permits the development of all Moroccan regions.
If Algeria is disappointed to receive a report that appears to be a final ruling of the complaint’s inadmissibility, this edition for 2022 attests once more to the continuity and stability of trade relations between Morocco and the EU as well as the continued commitment of the EU in the context of a comprehensive, strategic, and long-term partnership with Morocco.