Moroccan king visits contested Western Sahara territory
Moroccan King Mohammed VI presided over a ceremony in Western Sahara to launch a new development program on Saturday, the second day of his visit to mark the 40th anniversary of the country's annexation of the mineral-rich territory.
It is the king's first official visit to Western Sahara since 2006. In addition to commemorating the 1975 annexation Morocco calls the "Green March," the visit is part of a campaign to promote the country's decentralization plan and boost investment.
Mohammed VI's appearance at the ceremony was attended by 4,000 people, state media reported, including several government ministers and business leaders.
On Friday, he delivered a speech in the administrative capital of Laayoune, proposing a number of development projects, spanning from a port in the coastal city of Dakhla, to a railway connecting Marrakech to the contested town of Lagouira.
