Moroccan and Italian experts gathered on Saturday in Verona, northern Italy, highlighted the relevance of Morocco’s autonomy plan for the Sahara, describing it as a serious and lasting solution to the regional dispute surrounding the issue. The meeting also brought together several Italian regional officials, as well as members of the Moroccan community living in Italy.
Held under the theme “Autonomy and Regionalized Governance: Comparative Perspectives on the Italian Experience and the Moroccan Vision,” the event served as a platform to discuss the diplomatic progress achieved by the Kingdom, particularly following the adoption of United Nations Security Council Resolution 2797.
Participants stressed that the Moroccan initiative currently represents the most realistic approach to strengthening peace and stability in the Sahel-Saharan region, which is facing growing security and geopolitical challenges.
Italian Senator Luigi Spagnolli, representing the Trentino-Alto Adige region, recalled that Resolution 2797, adopted last October by the UN Security Council, confirms the credibility of Morocco’s autonomy initiative as a basis for resolving the Sahara issue.
He also emphasized the pluralistic nature of Moroccan identity as enshrined in the Kingdom’s Constitution, highlighting the richness derived from its Arab-Islamic, Amazigh and Saharan-Hassani components, enriched by African, Andalusian, Hebrew and Mediterranean influences.
For his part, Italian political science expert Marco Baratto said that Morocco’s autonomy project under national sovereignty offers a viable political perspective, while turning the southern provinces into a strategic hub for regional development.
The expert also compared the initiative to the special status granted to Sicily in 1946, considering both experiences as models aimed at strengthening national unity and territorial stability.
Speaking at the same event, Yasmine El Hassnaoui explained that the Moroccan plan combines state sovereignty with local governance, while promoting greater regional empowerment. She also recalled the historical ties linking the Sahara to Morocco, highlighting the significant investments made in the southern provinces, particularly in infrastructure, renewable energy, logistics and transportation.
