Moroccan parties prepare detailed proposals to update autonomy plan for Sahara

Moroccan political parties are finalizing written proposals to update and elaborate on the country’s 2007 autonomy plan for the Sahara, following consultations with royal advisers last week. Several parties are expected to submit their documents by the end of this week or early next week, according to sources familiar with the process.

While most parties are basing their proposals on the “Moroccan Initiative for Negotiating an Autonomy Statute” presented to the United Nations in 2007, the Unified Socialist Party (PSU) has opted to develop its own framework.

PSU leaders say their proposal is guided by three principles: ensuring autonomy cannot be a step toward independence, guaranteeing democratic norms nationwide, and upholding national and popular sovereignty.

The Authenticity and Modernity Party (PAM) formed a dedicated committee immediately after meeting royal advisers on Monday. A senior party official told Hespress that the committee includes political bureau members and topic specialists. PAM’s proposal, the source said, will remain anchored in the 2007 plan while adding “necessary clarifications and updates.”

The Independence Party (Istiqlal) is also preparing its memo. A member of the party’s executive committee said its secretary-general appointed a drafting team that includes experts familiar with the Sahara dossier. “The document is being finalized and will not be delayed,” the official said.

The Party of Progress and Socialism (PPS) has similarly convened a committee and consulted party experts as well as specialists in economics, politics and international relations. A PPS source said the draft draws on the 2007 autonomy plan and is expected to be ready early next week.

The Democratic Forces Front (FFD) has been working for four days on its contribution. A senior party member said the memo builds on years of internal reflection, including input collected from party structures after the meeting with royal advisers.

Meanwhile, the Unified Socialist Party (PSU) hosted a five-hour closed seminar on Nov. 15 with senior party members, academics and legal experts to explore its position. Secretary-General Jamal El-Assri told Hespress the party debated two options: revising the 2007 autonomy proposal or producing an independent party vision. “We chose the second approach,” he said.

El-Assri said the PSU’s internal committee agreed on three core pillars for its proposal: the permanent preservation of Morocco’s territorial integrity; linking autonomy to broader national democratization; and affirming national and popular sovereignty. He said the party aims to submit its memo by the end of the week.

The updated proposals are part of a broader process initiated after the U.N. Security Council adopted its latest resolution on the Sahara, prompting King Mohammed VI to call for a refined and detailed version of the autonomy initiative within the framework of Moroccan sovereignty.