Professor Kei Nakagawa, President of Hagoromo University in Japan, began by emphasizing that “political legitimacy is not declared through slogans, but measured at the ballot box.” Having served as an international observer in several Moroccan elections, she praised the democratic vitality of the southern provinces, where Sahrawis actively participate in the Kingdom’s institutional life. Nakagawa highlighted the high voter turnout rates in Dakhla and Laâyoune, as well as the growing role of women in political representation — a powerful symbol of political and social empowerment in the region.
For the Japanese scholar, these indicators clearly show that Sahrawi populations fully identify with Morocco’s national project and actively contribute to strengthening local institutions. She noted that the Polisario’s claim to represent the “sole legitimate voice” of the Sahrawis is “outdated and disconnected from on-the-ground realities.” Nakagawa also reaffirmed that Morocco’s autonomy plan remains the most realistic, democratic, and internationally consistent solution, as it promotes citizen participation, national unity, and lasting peace.
Professor Shoji Matsumoto, President of the International Center for Separatism Studies in Tokyo, described the continued presence of the Sahara issue on the Fourth Committee’s agenda as an institutional anachronism. He recalled that the decolonization process was completed in 1975, with Spain’s withdrawal, and that Morocco has since exercised its sovereignty over a territory historically its own.
In his view, the matter should be handled exclusively by the UN Security Council — the only body with the authority to oversee the political process under the UN’s aegis. Matsumoto criticized the bureaucratic duplication between the Fourth Committee and the Security Council, calling it counterproductive and a source of diplomatic confusion.
He also underlined the security dimension of the Sahara issue, noting that several Japanese intelligence reports have pointed to alleged links between elements of the Polisario and terrorist networks operating in the Sahel. These connections, he warned, give the Sahara question a global geostrategic significance that extends far beyond its regional context.
Both scholars urged the UN to acknowledge the political, institutional, and security realities of the Moroccan Sahara. They called on the international community to support Morocco’s efforts toward stability and development, rather than remain trapped in obsolete paradigms of the past.
In conclusion, Professors Nakagawa and Matsumoto praised Morocco’s sustained efforts, under the enlightened leadership of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, to turn the southern provinces into a model of governance, local democracy, and regional security — a success story that, they stressed, deserves full recognition on the international stage.
Editorial team/le7tv