Morocco is marking this Friday the 47th anniversary of the recovery of Oued Ed-Dahab, marking the return of the southern region to Moroccan rule on August 14, 1979. The anniversary follows Mauritania’s withdrawal from the territory under the Algiers Agreement with the Polisario Front, after which tribal leaders from Oued Ed-Dahab travelled to Rabat to pledge allegiance to the late King Hassan II.
The commemoration traces back to Spain’s 1975 withdrawal from Western Sahara, after which Morocco and Mauritania administered the territory’s northern and southern parts. The Polisario Front opposed Morocco’s presence and launched an armed campaign before Mauritania’s exit paved the way for the recovery. Hassan II welcomed the delegation home and pledged to safeguard the region’s security and development, a moment since seen as defining in consolidating Morocco’s territorial integrity.
The anniversary arrives amid growing recognition of Morocco’s position on the Sahara dispute. More than 130 countries now back Morocco’s Autonomy Plan, under which the Sahara would remain under Moroccan sovereignty while enjoying broad self-government, with the US, France, Spain and the UK among supporters.
Momentum has also built through countries suspending recognition of the Polisario-self-proclaimed Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic, including Mali, Honduras and, most recently, Colombia.
Economically, the region has been transformed since 1979. Dakhla, its main city, has grown into a hub for tourism, fisheries, agriculture and renewable energy, and is known internationally for kitesurfing. The government has promoted investment across these sectors, alongside infrastructure projects including the Dakhla Atlantic Port, meant to strengthen trade links with African markets.
Foreign interest has grown accordingly. US congressional staff visited Dakhla in July to explore investment opportunities, after an earlier delegation visit in February on healthcare and tourism. French interest has also risen, with a 2025 Morocco-France Economic Forum drawing more than 300 business leaders to Dakhla and France’s development agency announcing €150 million in planned investment in the southern provinces.
