Morocco's regionalization Roadmap and the Western Sahara
Authors: Ben‐Meir Yossef 
Published: February 2011

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explain the Moroccan Roadmap to regionalize the country (with the Western Sahara) that is currently presented in principle or general guidelines. By providing greater operational definition to the Roadmap and specific recommendations (including budgetary) for its implementation, the Moroccan and international public and policy makers will see the challenges and merits of the plan, including the potential to significantly advance human development and resolve the Western Saharan conflict.

Design/methodology/approach

There are three methods applied in the research of this paper. First, public statements made by King Mohammed VI of Morocco related to regionalization and all aspects of development (community, gender (though not addressed here), human, participatory, reconciliation, and sustainable) were organized chronologically and categorized. This put in place the principle tenets of Morocco's Roadmap. Second, the basic constructed Roadmap is then evaluated against the literature in the field of decentralization and development. This provides a sense of direction the Roadmap intends for transferring power to the sub‐national level and promoting local development. Finally, recommendations for the Roadmap's implementation are presented that reflect the literature and the author's 18 years experience in development in Morocco.

Findings

Morocco's Roadmap is relatively innovative as compared against other international decentralization models because it incorporates three of the four major approaches applied in cases around the world to transfer power from the national to sub‐national tiers, and does so in a way that intends to marshal local to national resources toward supporting community‐driven initiatives. This presents considerable opportunities to improve socio‐economic and environmental conditions, and reform vital institutions.

Research limitations/implications

Morocco's Roadmap is broadly stated, and the Advisory Committee on Regionalization appointed by the King is due to have its recommendations for implementation ready to present by 2011. Thus, there is an element of projection in the research by way of building a more clearly defined Roadmap (in order to make it operational) through a literature analysis of its basic‐stated precepts.

Social implications

The leaders and people of the region and the international community feel a new sense of urgency to resolve the Western Saharan conflict because of the disunity it creates in North Africa, and therefore insecurity and volatility at a crossroads of its hemisphere in a globally insecure time. The international community also seems generally receptive to Morocco's regionalization proposal, which now extends to the whole of the Kingdom a transferring of power from the capital to the regions. The essay provides a clear rationale and description of the proposal/plan, and specificity as to how it can be implemented. It will likely be well received by policy‐makers internationally and those charged in Morocco with implementing the plan.

Originality/value

Just in this past year, there has been a real increase in scholarly, governmental, civil, and public attention on Moroccan regionalization, but it generally remains abstract and unclear as to what it is and involves. This essay provides more vivid detail by thoroughness of research of Moroccan and international sources and the author's extensive experience in working with Moroccan administrations in regards to development, project management, and applying the participatory method (the approach Morocco's King repeatedly stated is intended to drive Moroccan regionalization).