The question of the Sahara worries the deputy Hugues Bayet (PS) who coordinates with his colleague Frédérique Ries (MR) an apolitical Committee for the autonomy of this region. He calls on Belgium to walk in the wake of Spain by supporting the Moroccan autonomy plan. In this sense, he intends to send correspondence this week to the Prime Minister, Alexander De Croo (Open VLD) and to the party presidents.
“Since the departure of the Spaniards in 1975, this region has been disputed between Morocco and the Polisario Front, supported by Algeria, which is demanding its independence. Since then, it’s been the status quo. However, this is detrimental both politically and economically for the entire Maghreb, but also for Europe, because it could be a strategic development area for renewable energies, in particular. Many companies are blocked in their initiatives,” analyzed Hugues Bayet in an interview with Trends Tendances.
The apolitical Committee for the Autonomy of Western Sahara — in which we find academics, trade unionists, personalities from the cultural world — which he coordinates with his colleague Frédérique Ries (MR) says that it is in favor of a diplomatic solution, without being pro-Moroccan or anti-Algerian. “For the moment, the UN has again reminded us, there is only one serious, credible and realistic proposal, it is the Moroccan proposal to grant autonomy to Western Sahara. Several countries, including France, Spain and the Netherlands, plead for us to work from this plan,” he recalled. The wish of the committee, will say the elected, is that Belgium does the same.
“We are going to send a letter to the Prime Minister, Alexander De Croo (Open VLD) and to the party presidents at the beginning of the week so that Belgium also supports this track”, he said, noting that the situation does not is certainly not easy for the federal government with the withdrawal of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sophie Wilmès (MR), for private reasons. “However, we certainly have experience to put forward with our experience of federalism and things to bring to the debate. Our Committee aims to be a spur on this issue. We can only solve this problem by bringing together all the people of good will, ”he is convinced.
According to Hugues Bayet, it is essential to find a solution for the populations there, but also for Morocco, Algeria or Tunisia, which are fragile democracies. “A settlement of this frozen conflict should allow, according to estimates, an increase in GDP of around 3 to 4%. For Europe, Western Sahara and the region as a whole have significant renewable energy potential. […] There is no other solution, otherwise it is war. »
