Speaking at an academic meeting on regionalization in Mediterranean countries, organized by Seville’s Pablo Olavide University, Juan José Ruiz, Head of the Department of Constitutional Law at the University of Jaén, and Gerardo Ruiz-Rico, Professor of Constitutional Law at the same university and President of the Centre for Social and Legal Studies of Southern Europe, noted that the Moroccan plan, supported by the international community, provides a “fair and wise response” to this artificial dispute.

José Ruiz described the Moroccan autonomy plan as “credible and realistic”, in line with international law and enabling the populations of the Moroccan Sahara to manage their own affairs within the framework of the Kingdom’s sovereignty.

In parallel with this initiative, Morocco has embarked on a process to develop its southern provinces, with the aim, among other things, of making this region of the Kingdom a top destination for investors, he added.

For his part, Ruiz-Rico pointed out that Morocco has opted for the path of peace by proposing the autonomy plan as a solution aimed at putting an end to a dispute that has lasted too long.

The Spanish academician, who witnessed at first hand the economic and social development of Morocco’s southern regions, highlighted “the generosity and spirit of openness shown by Morocco” in resolving this dispute.