CORCAS
A culture of dialogue and consensus in Morocco
The Royal Advisory Council for Saharan Affairs, commonly known by its French acronym CORCAS, was created in Morocco to make recommendations the king on a wide range of topics concerning the economic and social development
CORCAS was first established in the mid-1970’s by the late King Hassan II following the withdrawal of the Spanish occupational forces from the Western Sahara. In a March 25, 2006 speech, Morocco’s current monarch, King Mohammed VI, revived CORCAS by enhancing its official status and defining its role to “foster the culture of dialogue, and thus pave the way for our citizens to help in this [resolution] process and make practical proposals on all matters pertaining to our country's territorial integrity.”
This “culture of dialogue” is the King’s innovative initiative to seek solutions to significant issues facing Morocco. For example, in 2001, King Mohammed VI appointed an advisory committee of religious scholars and women’s rights activists to review Morocco’s Family Code, which resulted in reforms giving women rights unprecedented in the Muslim world. In 2004, Morocco’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission was created to investigate past human rights violations and propose far-reaching political and judicial reforms which were endorsed by the King. CORCAS is yet another example of his innovative approach to use dialogue and consensus to find durable solutions to complex social and political issues.
CORCAS is composed of 140 members (14 women), appointed by the king, who represent an ethnic, political, and tribal cross-section of Moroccan society. Among CORCAS’s members are representatives from all Sahrawi tribes, including the father of “Polisario Front/Algeria/Cuba” rebel army leader Mohammed Abdelaziz. CORCAS is chaired by long-time Sahrawi activist, KhelliHenna Ould Rachid and is divided into 5 sub-committees: social affairs, human development, and the environment; external affairs and cooperation; defense of human rights, public freedoms and the populations of the camps; economic affairs, education, and training; and promotion of the Hassani culture, information, and communication.
CORCAS’s primary task is to seek input from all parties affected by the 30 year old political stalemate to find the most effective path towards autonomy for the southern provinces within the framework of Morocco’s long-established sovereignty. CORCAS has even invited its most ardent opponent, the Polisario Front, to participate in this national dialogue. However, to date, Polisario Front rebel leader Mohammed Abdelaziz has refused, declaring publicly, “we will never dialogue with [CORCAS] under any circumstances.”
CORCAS members have also met with world in Europe, Africa, and Latin America, all of whom reiterated the importance of CORCAS’s role in facilitating a dialogue among all the affected parties in order to implement an autonomy plan that is workable, lasting, and comprehensive.
Since March 2006, CORCAS has held a series of meetings and forums to tackle the complex issues surrounding autonomy and the social, economic, and political reintegration of Moroccans living in the southern provinces. In the coming months, CORCAS will present a report of its recommendations to King Mohammed VI who will then present an autonomy plan to, once and for all, settle the three-decade old Western Saharan conflict. Such a peaceful, negotiated solution will not only unify Morocco and Moroccans, but will bring greater stability, security, political, and economic cooperation to the countries of the Maghreb and Africa.
