Rabat – The University of Moulay Ismail in Meknes hosted on Wednesday a significant academic symposium that tackled “The Role of Academic Diplomacy in Serving the National Cause.” serving as a platform to discuss Morocco’s diplomatic gains on the Sahara dispute.
Mohammed Larouz, dean of the university’s School of Arts and Humanities, spoke of the significance of the event. The symposium, he argued, mainly aimed to contribute to the celebration of the recent anniversaries of the Green March and Independence Day.
The symposium gathered prominent scholars and experts to address and challenge the misleading narratives propagated by Algeria, Polisario supporters, and various foreign analysts who have continued to dismiss historical facts and recent political developments in their opposition to Moroccan sovereignty over the Sahara.
Defending Morocco’s legitimate and historical rights
Panelists included Adnane Bennis, co-founder of Morocco World News (MWN), and Tamba François Koundouno, a political analyst and senior editor at MWN, who both highlighted the importance of reshaping the international discourse around the Sahara dispute.
In line with its theme, the symposium emphasized the crucial role that academics, journalists, and intellectuals play in defending Morocco’s legitimate and historical claim to the Sahara, particularly amid the prevalence of an anti-Moroccan narrative championed by Western media and analysts.
Washington-based author and foreign policy expert Samir Bennis also took part in the symposium with a recorded video presentation in which he stressed the significance of his latest book, “The Self-Determination Delusion: How Activist Scholars and Journalists Have Hijacked the Western Sahara Case.”
Also referring to Samir Bennis’ book in his remarks, Koundouno described it as an invaluable intellectual asset for Moroccan scholars, journalists, and diplomats in their ongoing efforts to challenge the biased narratives in global discussions on the Sahara.
He stressed the need for a deeper, more philosophical engagement with the history of the region, especially as the dispute has become a focal point of geopolitical rivalry.
Aspects of effective diplomacy
Morocco’s position on the Sahara is not just a political issue but one rooted in the country’s deep historical, cultural, and legal ties to the region, Koundouno argued.
He added that effective diplomacy in the digital age requires a combination of historical analysis and modern communication strategies to present a compelling case to the world.
“Today, as the Algerian regime shows no signs of abandoning its desperate sponsorship of a separatist agenda in southern Morocco, the goal of Moroccan intellectuals – especially journalists and academics – is to examine the history of how it all started and why we are at the present moment. That is, their task is to offer a forceful account of Morocco’s historical and undying attachment to the Sahara,” Koundouno said.
He further emphasized how the aim of a more effective diplomacy requires a “painstaking engagement” with a deep knowledge of the Sahara’s history to “convincingly debunk the opposing narrative against Morocco’s territorial integrity.”
In this sense, he added, Bennis’ book reminds Moroccan intellectuals that the best way to defend their country’s most important national cause is to produce serious and well-documented research or scholarship on why the Sahara has always been Moroccan.
Role of the media
For his part, Adnane Bennis discussed the vital role of Moroccan media in challenging the dominant, anti-Moroccan narratives, particularly in English-speaking outlets.
He stressed the importance of using academic rigor and well-documented research to counter misinformation.
Adnane also pointed to the unique relevance of Samir Bennis’ latest book in the present moment, calling the book a key resource in the much-needed deconstruction of the misleading narratives spread by Algeria and its supporters.
As Adnane sees it, this book is a comprehensive intellectual tool to strengthen the Moroccan position on the Sahara in international discourse.
In his video statement , meanwhile, Samir Bennis discussed the evolution of Morocco’s legal position on the Sahara over the past 50 years, highlighting the role of international legal frameworks and United Nations resolutions in legitimizing the kingdom’s sovereignty over its southern provinces.
He noted that the shift in the international community’s approach, particularly since 2007 with the adoption of UN Security Council resolutions, has increasingly supported a compromise-based political solution, rather than a referendum for self-determination.
Engaging a larger, global audience
The lack of English-language academic research making the case for Morocco’s claim to the Sahara has allowed Algeria to dominate the international conversation for decades
“And when we look at what has been published in Morocco over the past 50 years regarding the topic in the English language, we see, unfortunately, that there is a lack of academic or scientific production of this issue in this language, which is what gave Algeria the opportunity for a long time to impose” its biased narrative against Morocco’s territorial integrity.
His book, he explained, is an effort to fill this gap by providing a comprehensive, fact-based analysis in English that counters such biased and false narratives.
“This is my motivation for publishing this book in the English language, which is a proof of the fact that Morocco is a source and the result of my academic research for 25 years, as well as the field experience that I gained on the international level within the United Nations or on the international stage here in Washington. So, I tried to put all this experience that I gained into the book,” the author added.
In addition to discussing the historical and legal dimensions of the Sahara conflict, the symposium also explored the growing importance of technology in modern diplomacy.
In this regard, the other panelists’ argued that, in the digital age, Morocco must harness innovative methods to defend its sovereignty over the Sahara.
This includes engaging with international audiences through social media, academic publications, and multimedia platforms to ensure that the country’s position is represented accurately and effectively on the global stage, they concluded.
