Moroccan Sahara: Dakhla Hosts YELO Caucuses of UCLG Africa, Bringing Together Young African Leaders
The city of Dakhla is hosting, over two days, the caucuses of the Network of Young Elected Local Officials in Africa (YELO), affiliated with United Cities and Local Governments of Africa (UCLG Africa). The meeting brings together representatives of local authorities and cities, alongside young elected officials from around twenty African countries.
Speaking at the opening session held at the headquarters of the Dakhla municipality, the President of the Communal Council of Dakhla, Erragheb Hormatallah, highlighted that the city has become a true continental meeting point and a bridge between African peoples. Bringing together young leaders from across the continent, Dakhla now stands as a space for dialogue, cooperation, and shared ambition.
Hormatallah, who also serves as President of the YELO Network, stressed that Africa’s future is being shaped by its youth. “Our responsibility, as young local elected officials representing cities and communities across Africa, is to act as bridges of cooperation between the continent’s territories,” he stated. He also recalled that Moroccan youth benefit from the High Solicitude of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, who has made youth empowerment and participation in public life a strategic priority.
The choice of Dakhla as host city reflects Morocco’s African vision, based on South-South cooperation and shared development, under the leadership of King Mohammed VI. Hormatallah pointed to several major initiatives that embody this vision, including the Atlantic Initiative aimed at providing Sahel countries with access to the Atlantic Ocean, opening up promising economic prospects.
He also highlighted the strategic importance of the Dakhla Atlantic Port project, described as a major economic and logistical hub and a gateway for trade and development across Africa. In the same vein, the Africa-Atlantic gas pipeline project was presented as a key step toward building an integrated African economic space, particularly benefiting the continent’s youth.
For his part, Adoum Mahamat Adoum, Mayor of Ngoura in Chad, said the event serves as a source of inspiration for young elected officials, encouraging them to think about Africa’s future in terms of governance, territorial development, and decentralization.
Abdul Ganiyu Obasa, President of Agege Local Government in Lagos, Nigeria, described the gathering as a decisive moment for African leaders and young officials to unite efforts, strengthen cooperation, and promote sustainable development for the continent and beyond.
Soufiane Hamar Battan, a municipal council member from Al-Ameriya in Libya, emphasized that hosting the meeting in Dakhla confirms that young people are not only the leaders of tomorrow, but also active decision-makers contributing today to sustainable development and stronger local governance.
This meeting marks a new step in strengthening cooperation among young leaders across African cities, helping to build a solid network committed to shaping the continent’s future.
Editorial team/le7tv
