MATIC, by Jean R. AbiNader (Jan. 10, 2013) — In Nouakchott, Mauritania on January 9, IMF Managing Director Christine Lagarde made the case for greater private sector involvement in the Maghreb, from external and internal sources. She noted that if the Arab Awakening is to satisfy the aspirations of the people of the region, there […]
Tag Archives: western sahara
‘Solving the Western Sahara: What Now Remains’ – Ambassador Ed Gabriel
Middle East Institute, commentary by Amb. Edward M. Gabriel (Washington, DC, Oct. 30, 2012) – What more can be done to resolve the problem in Western Sahara? Mr. (Carne) Ross, Undersecretary General Miyet, and I have be trading opinions for six months and it is clear that Mr. Ross has no intention to propose or agree on […]
Journal of Int’l Security Affairs: “Morocco’s Momentum” by Dr. Pham
The Spring/Summer 2012 issue of The Journal of International Security Affairs examines Morocco’s experience in the ‘Arab Spring’, what has set the North African country apart, the challenges it has faced and the progresses made. In an article, “Morocco’s Momentum” Dr. J. Peter Pham, international security expert, describes Morocco’s efforts to strengthen its democracy—which began […]
US State Dept. Highlights Morocco Efforts to Empower Civil Society, Create Jobs
What are the major contributors to socio-economic growth and empowerment in the Middle East and North Africa following the Arab Spring? According to the US State Department: Youth, Civil Society, and Regional Economic Cooperation This past week, US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton held a Global Town Hall with Civil Society Representatives organized under […]
Western Sahara: Time to Make Peace, Not Just Keep It – Robert M. Holley
April 30, 2012 On Tuesday, April 24 the UN Security Council unanimously kicked the Western Sahara issue down the road for yet another year (sigh) when it once again renewed the mandate for its peacekeeping mission in the region, MINURSO, with little more than further encouragement that the parties continue to cooperate with the Secretary […]
FAQ: The Western Sahara Conflict
At the end of April 2012, the United Nations Security Council will vote on the renewal of MINURSO — the peace-keeping mission for the Western Sahara, which has, since the mid-1970’s, been an area of conflict between Morocco and the separatist group Polisario Front. What is the Western Sahara conflict? In 1975, when Spain relinquished […]
Northern Mali – Another Lesson on Western Sahara – Robert M. Holley
Long before the tumultuous events of the Arab Spring began to rock the political and social foundations of governments in North Africa and the Maghreb, we here at the Moroccan American Center, as well as a significant group of individual and independent academic and security experts, have been trying to raise the awareness of the […]
[VIDEO] Foreign Policy Panel Urges US Act to End Western Sahara Conflict “Now”
This week, in Washington, DC, foreign policy experts and former US diplomats participated in a roundtable, ”The Western Sahara Crisis: Why US Leadership is Needed Now,” which focused on the urgent need for concrete US action in support of its long-standing policy for a solution to the Western Sahara conflict based on autonomy under Moroccan […]
“You Don’t Have to Live Like a Refugee” — Robert M. Holley
Robert Holley, Senior Advisor, Moroccan American Center for Policy (Washington, DC, March 20, 2012) — I was driving around town this past weekend doing the usual errands and listening to my favorite classic rock station when an oldie from Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers came on the radio, where he sings “You Don’t Have to Live […]
Supporting Renewed Negotiations Between Morocco, Polisario – US Cong. Chris Murphy
Congressional Record Remarks, Capitol Words (Washington, DC, March 8) — Mr. Speaker, I rise today to support the renewal of negotiations between the government of Morocco and the Polisario Front. The Western Sahara region has been disputed territory since the Spanish withdrew in 1975. It is claimed by Morocco and the Polisario Front, which […]
