In Guelmim, what was supposed to be an exemplary education and regional development project turned into a real standoff between residents and real estate lobbies. Faced with these growing tensions, the Ministry of the Interior took up the matter, with the aim of unraveling this controversial issue.
The project to establish a faculty of legal and economic sciences, validated and included in the Official Bulletin, today seems threatened by private interests who are trying to impose a move to an isolated peripheral area. A maneuver stated as being an attempt at speculative valorization of land held by real estate developers to the detriment of the public interest.
The Wali of the Guelmim-Oued Noun region, Mohamed Najem Abhay, was recently contacted by complaints from the citizens of Guelmim. The latter strongly oppose the relocation of the university establishment initially planned to “Erg Assfar”, a site close to the city center.
This place, according to them, is ideal for hosting an educational infrastructure because it is integrated into a dense urban fabric, easily accessible and surrounded by other educational establishments such as the Higher Institute of Hospitality. On the other hand, the proposed alternative site, located around ten kilometers away, is described as a “no man’s land”, lacking infrastructure, urban transport and basic services, making it difficult for students to access.
At the heart of this controversy, therefore, are real estate developers accused of exerting pressure in order to move the project to an area in which they own large plots of land. The objective would be to take advantage of the establishment of the faculty to develop these lands and increase their market value. A strategy which arouses the indignation of families and local associations, for whom education must not become hostage to real estate speculation.
The residents are not upset, believing that this relocation meets neither the needs of the students nor those of the city. By moving away from the urban core, the project would risk depriving a large part of the population of equitable access to education. Furthermore, this attempt at “forced displacement” raises broader questions about the management of public goods and the influence of private interests on public decisions.
Institutional reaction under popular pressure
Faced with these tensions, the Ministry of the Interior quickly got involved, seeking to clarify and resolve this sensitive matter. At the same time, the member of Socialist group in the House of Representatives, Aouicha Zelfi called on the Minister of Higher Education to denounce the alleged role of real estate developers and ask for guarantees on the transparency and fairness of decisions relating to this project.
-In her request, the MP highlighted the negative impact that this transfer would have on students and their families, particularly in the absence of suitable means of transport. She also warned against potential abuses linked to the control of real estate lobbies over projects of public interest, calling on the authorities to reaffirm the priority of the general interest over private ambitions.
This matter goes well beyond simply moving a university project. It highlights structural issues that sometimes plague the management of public resources in Morocco: pressure from private interests, conflicts between urban development and land use planning, as well as fair access to essential services.
On the one hand, maintaining the project in its original location, close to the city center, symbolizes a vision of development integrating social, economic and educational needs. It responds to a logic of proximity, essential for students from modest families. On the other hand, the move to a peripheral area reflects a worrying trend where private interests can influence strategic decisions, jeopardizing projects which should above all benefit citizens.
The future of the project in suspense
This controversy also raises questions about urban planning in growing cities like Guelmim. The choice to move an educational project to a poorly served and under-equipped area does not seem to be part of a coherent vision of territorial planning. It reflects a disconnect between decisions made at the top and the realities experienced by local populations.
For the inhabitants of Guelmim, this affair reflects their aspiration for equitable development and public decisions which prioritize the needs of the population over the ambitions of local economic powers. The outcome of this conflict will depend on the decisions of the authorities, called upon to guarantee that this educational project remains at the service of students and the community, rather than private economic interests. The coming weeks will be decisive for the future of this faculty and for citizens’ confidence in their institutions.
