Aziz Rabbah in Italy: Morocco Focuses on Sovereignty, Development, and Global Openness
Rome – Saturday, November 22, 2025: Aziz Rabbah, during an event held in Italy today, confirmed that the Kingdom of Morocco is working to enhance its diplomatic achievements and consolidate its sovereignty over the Sahara. He indicated that the upcoming phase revolves around two main pillars: implementing self-governance and activating the Moroccan-African Atlantic initiative.
Regarding self-governance, Rabbah explained that the project allows the Sahrawi region to have legislative, executive, and judicial bodies that operate within a framework of local participation, ensuring effective management of the residents’ affairs in security, local administration, economic planning, infrastructure, and social services, alongside preserving the Hassani cultural identity. The region will also have independent financial resources from local revenues and allocations from the state budget.
Concerning the competencies of the central state, Rabbah noted that they include national symbols, the constitutional and religious roles of the king, national security and defense, and foreign relations, with the appointment of a government representative overseeing the implementation of state competencies in the region.
In terms of institutions, the self-governance framework includes an elected regional parliament and a regional government head, as well as independent regional courts and a regional supreme court to interpret laws. Additionally, it encompasses economic and social councils to enhance participatory policy-making in local development. The project also includes mechanisms for integrating returnees and ensuring their full rights in the context of return and reconciliation.
In the second pillar, the Moroccan-African Atlantic initiative, Rabbah emphasized the role of the Moroccan Sahara, particularly the Dakhla region, as a gateway for communication between Africa and the rest of the world by developing the Dakhla port and its future airport, expanding the road network, and establishing electrical and maritime connections between Morocco and countries in the Sahel and West Africa.
He also stressed the importance of Moroccan-Italian relations, affirming respect for the sovereignty of both nations, and developing economic, scientific, cultural, and social partnerships, alongside expanding cooperation between regions and local communities and protecting the interests of the expatriate communities in both countries.
