Speaking to the press after a meeting between a French delegation and Governor of the Laâyoune-Boujdour-Sakia-El Hamra region, the European MP reiterated support for Morocco’s initiative to find a lasting settlement to the Sahara issue.

    He said the current visit is an opportunity for the French delegation to enquire about the projects carried out in the region in fields, including health, renewable energy and tourism.

     It is also an opportunity "for us to see that the EU-Moroccan fisheries partnership is being implemented in accordance with the signed agreement between the two parties", he added.

    During the meeting, light was shed on the development projects launched in the Laâyoune-Boujdour-Sakia-El Hamra region.

   The French delegation was also briefed on the hostile stands by Algeria regarding Morocco's territorial integrity, and the efforts led by the Kingdom to find a lasting solution to the artificial dispute, on the basis of the autonomy initiative under Moroccan sovereignty.

    Morocco's policy to fight poverty within the framework of the National Initiative for Human Development was also raised, along with the training programmes aiming to integrate in the socio-economic life the persons who joined their Motherland after long years of torture in Tindouf camps.

    In this respect, special attention was given to the tragic situation endured by the population held against their will in Tindouf camps, and the use of human rights issues for propaganda aims by the adversaries of Morocco's territorial integrity, in addition to the persisting human rights violations in the camps, as evidenced by the kidnapping by polisario militiamen of Mustapha Salma Ould Sidi Mouloud.