The American analyst and connoisseur of the Maghreb, Calvin Dark, said that the massive participation of the people of the southern provinces in Wednesday's elections attest that they have "a voice to be heard in the democratic process and use it to help shape the future of Morocco.

The inhabitants of the three regions of the Moroccan Sahara have already proven in the past that they are authentic Moroccan citizens and they have just confirmed this during the municipal, regional and legislative elections held on Wednesday.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccans living abroad, Mr. Nasser Bourita, received, Tuesday in Rabat, the diplomat Benjamin Ndagijimana who presented his consular commissions to exercise as Consul General of Burundi in Laayoune.

Some 3,868 candidates in the region of Laayoune-Sakia El Hamra are vying to win 431 seats in the legislative, regional and communal elections, scheduled for September 8.

Sierra Leonean diplomat Zainab Candy was installed, on Monday, as her country's consul general in Dakhla.