The Green March: Fifty Years of Loyalty to the Nation and Challenge in the Face of History
By Najiba Jalal
Fifty years have passed since King Hassan II, may his soul rest in peace, declared to the world that Morocco had decided to write a new chapter in its history: a chapter about reclaiming the Moroccan Sahara through peace and faith, not weapons and blood. This Green March was more than a national event; it was a rebirth of the Moroccan nation, a collective declaration of the unity of the land, the people, and the monarchy, showcasing the ability of a whole nation to make history bow to its will.
The Royal Call That Mobilized Millions
On November 6, 1975, Moroccans took to the streets in an extraordinary scene that the world had never witnessed before. More than 350,000 volunteers, carrying the Quran and the national flag, crossed artificial borders towards the Sahara, not in search of war, but for peace, driven by loyalty to the land. King Hassan II’s historical call stated: “Tomorrow, the Green March will start; tomorrow you will head to the Sahara to reclaim it. You will march in order and calm, carrying no weapon or stick.”
Those words formed a spiritual covenant between the throne and the populace, a vow that would be passed down from generation to generation until the image of the nation on the map was complete, as our ancestors envisioned.
From the Battle of Politics to the Victory of Legitimacy
Between the International Court of Justice’s ruling in The Hague on October 16, 1975, which recognized the ties of fealty and loyalty between the Sahrawi tribes and the Moroccan throne, and the decision to organize the march in November of the same year, a skilled Moroccan diplomacy led by Hassan II emerged. It managed to strip the Spanish colonizer of legal legitimacy, handing that legitimacy over to Morocco’s historical and political rights.
Rabat understood from the onset that the battle for the Sahara was not merely a territorial dispute but a matter of existence and identity; sovereignty is not granted but seized through accumulation, patience, and wisdom. From that point on, the Sahara file became the backbone of Moroccan foreign policy, impervious to bargaining or regional fluctuations, encapsulating the essence of the modern Moroccan state: steadfastness in principle and cleverness in approach.
From the March to Development: Sovereignty on the Ground
The march did not stop at the sand dunes; it extended deeply into development and construction. Morocco did not merely hoist its flag in Laayoune, Dakhla, and Smara, but also raised ambitious projects in roads, ports, airports, and renewable energy. The Sahara transformed into a comprehensive developmental model, surpassing development indicators in many regions of Africa and the Arab world.
The Atlantic port project in Dakhla, the Tiznit-Dakhla highway, clean energy initiatives in Boujdour and Laayoune, and major social projects all extend the legacy of the Green March through contemporary means. Today, the march represents not only crowds walking on sand but also projects that shape the land and build the future.
Fifty Years of Failed Maneuvers
For half a century, opponents of territorial unity have never stopped their attempts. From the Sand War to conspiracies in Tindouf, and political pressure tactics in the corridors of the African Union and the United Nations. Yet, Morocco, with its political steadfastness and diplomatic modernization, managed to transform the issue from a conflict case to one of resolution.
More than 84 countries have recognized Moroccan sovereignty over the Sahara, with over 30 consulates opened in Laayoune and Dakhla. Even major powers, from the United States to Spain and Germany, acknowledged the realism of the Moroccan solution based on the autonomy initiative. If the first march was green with flags and the Quran, the new march is blue and white, reflecting diplomacy, projects, and innovation.
The UN Security Council: Another Testimony to the Validity of the Moroccan Path
The recent vote in the UN Security Council confirmed once again that the Moroccan initiative for autonomy is the only serious, realistic, and just option to end this fabricated regional dispute. The world no longer accepts the old slogans of Tindouf or Algeria’s political lamentations. It has become clear that Morocco is the only party offering a viable solution, consistent with international law and the aspirations of the populations in the southern regions.
This vote was not just a procedural measure but a collective acknowledgment that no one knows the home better than its inhabitants, and that Morocco’s sovereignty over its Sahara is not open to debate but a political, legal, and territorial reality strengthened by fifty years of continuous effort, from the throne to the people, and from diplomacy to the field.
King Mohammed VI: Continuation of the March and a Mark in History
Since ascending to the throne, His Majesty King Mohammed VI has focused on making the Sahara the heart of the kingdom’s developmental policy. Thanks to his vision, southern Morocco has transformed into a strategic hub towards Africa and a gateway for Morocco to the world. His Majesty has emphasized in his speeches that the Moroccan identity of the Sahara is indisputable, framing autonomy as a realistic solution and development as a path to fortify the connection to the land.
Under his reign, the Sahara has become not only a diplomatic file but a symbol of national sovereignty and collective identity. Fifty years of resilience and progress have made Morocco a model for how to turn a liberation struggle into a narrative of sustainable construction.
The March Continues with New Generations
The generation of the first march carried the flag and the Quran, while today’s generation carries computers and projects. But the message remains the same: there is no retreat from sovereignty, nor any compromise on unity. It is a march of awareness and loyalty, a journey of thought and production, a campaign of media and diplomacy, a march that renews itself every day with new Moroccan faces lifting their heads in international forums, saying to the world: Morocco does not age, because its spirit is as green as the march.
Fifty Years of Glory and Certainty
Today, as we celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of the Green March, we remember not only that majestic moment when light flooded the sands of the Sahara but also every moment that followed marked by challenge, construction, and determination. The Green March is not a chapter from the past but an open book in Morocco’s future, written by every loyal citizen, each honest official, and every journalist defending the truth.
As King Hassan II once said: “If the Sahara is in our Morocco, then Morocco is in its Sahara.” And here we are, fifty years later, more rooted in our Sahara, more radiant in our surroundings, and more convinced of the justice of our cause.
