A thesis that touches on the political elite in the Sahara

On Sunday, the research student, Sidi Mohamed Alaoui, obtained a doctorate degree with a very honorable distinction after defending his thesis in public law and political science at the Faculty of Legal, Economic and Social Sciences – Cadi Ayyad University in Marrakesh on the topic “The political elite in the Laayoune-Sakia El Hamra region… Determinants of production and the political role.”

The Scientific Committee considered the subject of the thesis a scientific work in studying the Sahrawi political elite and the real stake it constitutes today in the series of political and development management, which is known to the regions of the southern regions in general, and the region of Laayoune-Sakia El-Hamra in particular.

The session witnessed an extensive scientific discussion about the determinants of production and the political roles played by the political elite in the context of defending the Moroccan Sahara, and its involvement in the royal strategy aimed at improving development in these areas, ending the artificial dispute over the Moroccan Sahara, and refuting the fallacies of Morocco’s opponents regarding its territorial integrity.

In the speech of the researcher nominated to present his report on his thesis project entitled “The Political Elite in the Saguia El Hamra Region… Determinants of Production and the Political Role,” he highlighted the importance of studying the Sahrawi political elite belonging to the Saguia El Hamra region, which forms part of the mosaic of the Moroccan elite, which has been demonstrated throughout the political history of the region. The subject of the study is its clinging to its Westernization, and its defense with all its means in order to establish that connection between the Saguia El Hamra domain and the central authority.

The student researcher pointed out that the topic of studying the political elite in the Laayoune-Sakia El Hamra region is of special importance as it is an important topic with renewed relevance, in addition to the position that the region and its political elites have come to occupy in recent years, and the distinguished position given to it by royal attention, especially on the horizon of the regional path. Political, as it will be the gateway towards activating and implementing these important political workshops to serve as a model for the rest of the Kingdom.

Among these goals that the research seeks to achieve is revealing the determinants of the production of the political elite in the Sakia El Hamra region, and the foundations that contribute to its emergence and formation, in addition to identifying the origins and social and political backgrounds of this elite, then dismantling the roles it plays through the institutions of the modern state in a society characterized by The mentalities and political imagination of its members follow the logic of the tribe, with its inheritance and traditional controls.

The thesis explained that the political elite in the Laayoune-Sakia El Hamra region is composed of an elite that differs according to its backgrounds and historical, political and social paths. At the tribal level, we find the dominance of the elites of some tribal components over the elected councils. At the political level, we find the dominance of the elite belonging to the Istiqlal Party, the elite of the National Rally of Free People, then the elite of the Contemporary Assala Party, and then the rest of the political parties (the Constitutional Union, the Front for Democratic Forces, Progress, and Socialism, and the Socialist Union…).

The study concluded that the state was able to make the elite elite accompany it on the issue of national unity, and their presence was in order to achieve the necessary consensus with the aim of involving them in the decision, because the state’s strategy was aimed at producing an effective Sahrawi elite in decision-making, which established the successful involvement of the political elite. In the development construction and major projects in the region founded by the King of the country, which constitute one of the pivotal and realistic foundations and foundations for building and preparing the political climate and environment, in addition to the serious political will to implement the requirements of the Moroccan initiative for self-government.