A “Club of Exploiters” at the Crans Montana Forum “Fiasco” in Dakhla, Western Sahara

I’ve been researching an article on the participants at the recent Crans Montana Forum in the city of Dakhla that has been illegally occupied by Morocco for 40 years (see my last 4 posts on this gruesome topic). Fortunately, Peter Kenworthy, a journalist at Afrika Kontakt in Copenhagen, Denmark, and writer/publisher of the Kenworthy News Media beat me to the punch. His March 16 article, UN and ANC Legitimise Colonisation, is a marvelous piece on the “Club of Exploiters” attending the “fiasco” in Dakhla; so rather than completing my own article on a topic that has been covered so eloquently elsewhere, I point you to his article.

The collection of hypocrites, miscreants, thugs, looters, exploiters, colonizers, and self-absorbed and corrupt world leaders who showed up in Dakhla to spit on the Sahrawis is tawdry enough to warrant a list of participants. So here is the best I could come up with off the Crans Montana website. I will update this list as I learn of other participants. Anyone who came to this event in an illegally occupied territory and against the wishes of the people of the territory should be held accountable:

Mr. Arnold Rüütel, President of the Republic (2001-2006) of Estonia, Prix de la Fondation 2015

Mr. Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, President of Government of Spain (2004-2011), Prix de la Fondation 2015

Mrs. Aminata Tall, President, Economic, Social & Environmental Council of Senegal, Prix de la Fondation 2015

Mr. Philippe Douste-Blazy, Under Secretary General of the United Nations, Prix de la Fondation 2015, co-organizer of the Forum

Mr. Jean-Louis Borloo, Minister of Ecology and Sustainable Development and Planning (2007-2010) of France and founder of the “Energie pour l’Afrique” Foundation, Prix de la Fondation 2015

Rev. Jesse Jackson, Founder and President of the Rainbow Push Coalition, Guest of Honour

Mr. Abdulaziz O. Altwaijri, Director General of ISESCO

Ms Sylvie Briand, Director, Pandemics and Epidemics Department, World Health Organization, distinguished Guest Speaker

Mr. Ahmed Abdallah Mohamed Sambi, President of the Union of the Comoros (2006-2011)

Mr. Modeste Bahati Lukwebo, Minister of National Economy, Democratic Republic of Congo

Mr. Elvis Mutiri Bahara, Minister of Tourism, Democratic Republic of Congo

Mr. Yonov Frederick , Deputy Director-General of the World Trade Organization

Mr. Srdjan Milic, President of the Socialist People’s Party of Montenegro

Mr. Theodoros Pangalos, former Prime Minister, the Hellenic Republic

Mr. Spyros Kouvelis, former Prime Minister, the Hellenic Republic

Mrs. Zanetor Agyeman Rawlings, Daughter of Mr. Jerry Rawlings, President of the Republic of Ghana (1993-2001), Special Guest of the exceptional Meeting of African Women

Mr. Guy Zilberstein, Advisor to the President of the French Republic, Guest Speaker

Mrs. Caroline Jehu-Appiah, Principal Health Economist, African Development Bank

Mr. Aboubacar Sidiki Diakité, Inspector General for Health, National Committee for Health Crisis, Guinea

Mr. Jean-Louis Machuron, International Coordinator, RESAOLAB, Fondation Mérieux

Mr. Nigel Lightfoot, Executive Director, Connecting Organizations for Regional Disease Surveillance, France

Mr. Dominique de Villepin, French Prime Minister (2005-2007), Guest Speaker

Mr. Raila Amollo Odinga, Prime Minister Republic of Kenya (2008-2013)

Mr. Ersat Hurmuzlu, Senior Advisor to President Abdullah and Secretary General of the Turkish-Arab Dialogue Platform

Mr. Eric Besson, Minister of Industry and Energy of France (2010-2012)

Mrs. Olijana , Deputy Minister of Environment of Albania

Mr. Mouline, General Director of the Moroccan National Agency for the Development of Renewable Energy

Mr. Jawad Kerdoudi, President of the Moroccan Institute for International Relations

Mr. Obaid Amrane, Member of the Board of MASEN

Mr. Sanchez Tinoco, President of the Chamber of Commerce of Gran Canaria

Mr. Ali Rashid Lootah, Chairman of Nakheel, Crans Montana Forum’s Gold Medal

Mr. Ablasse Ouedraogo, Minister for Foreign Affairs (1994-1999) of Burkina Faso

Mr. Solomon Issac Passy, Minister for Foreign Affairs (2001-2005) of Bulgaria

Mrs. Gergana Passy, Minister for European Affairs (2007-2009) of Bulgaria

Mr. Usamah M. Al Kurdi, Vice-Chairman of the International Chamber of Commerce of Saudi Arabia

Mr. Federico Mayor, former Director General of UNESCO and President of the UN High-level Panel for the Dialogue among Civilizations, Keynote Speaker

Mr. Mohamed Saïd Fofana, Prime Minister of the Republic of Guinea, Guest of Honour

Mr. Douglas Ete, Deputy Prime Minister, Solomon Islands, Crans Montana Forum’s Gold Medal

Mr. M. Samuel Manetoali, Minister for Environment, Climate Change, Disaster Management, Conservation & Meteorology, Solomon Islands

Mr. John , Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Tourism & Culture, Solomon Islands

Mr. Moses Kouni , Head of Mission to the European Union, Solomon Islands

Mr. Nee Wilson, Chairman, Tourist Board, Solomon Islands

Mr. Cheick Modibo Diarra, Prime Minister of Mali (2012), Special Guest

Mr. Raila Amollo Odinga, Prime Minister of Kenya (2008-2013), Guest Speaker

Ms Jadranka Kosor, Prime Minister of Croatia (2009-2011), Guest of Honour

Mr. Halldor Asgrimsson, Prime Minister of Iceland (2004-2006), Guest of Honour

Mr. Petre Roman, Prime Minister of Romania, Guest of Honour

Mr. Ahmed Saad Omar Khadr, Minister of the Council of Ministers of Sudan

Mr. Mustafa Osman, Minister for Investment of Sudan

Mr. Mohamed Hamed Bushri, Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly of Sudan

Mr. Yves Leterme, Prime Minister of Belgium (2009-2011), Keynote Speaker

Mr. Roger Alberic Kacou, Minister of Tourism of Ivory Coast

Mr. Abbas Al , Secretary General of the Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries

Mrs. Ntombenhle Perpetua Msiza, Daughter of President Jacob Zuma, South Africa, African National Congress

Mr. Lindi Rufus Radebe, Chairman of the International Relations, African National Congress, South Africa

Mr. Rudy Setlamo Roberts, Chief Executive, Mega Water Corp., African National Congress, South Africa

Mrs. Nokuthula Msezane, African National Congress, South Africa

Mrs. Almas Jiwani, President & CEO, UN Women Canada, Guest Speaker

Mr. Ambroise Germain Banas, Chairman, Office des Ports et Rades du Gabon (OPRAD), Guest Speaker

HRH Prince Jean of Luxembourg

Mrs. Bouthayna Iraq Houssaini, Director General, Locamed, Morocco

Mrs. Olijana Ifti, Dep. Minister of Environment, Albania

Mr.  Regis Toussaint, CEO, Cofrepeche, France

Mr. Said Mouline, Director General, National Agency for Renewables Development & Energy Efficiency, Morocco

Mr. Sozar  Subari, Minister of Internally Displaced Person and Refugees, Georgia

Mr. Jean Codo, Managing Director, ATPMS Group, Belgium

Mr. Jaoa Bosco Monte, Chairman, Brazil Africa Institute, Brazil

Mr. Christof Glaser, International Director, Art of Living, Germany

Mrs. Caroline Jehu-Appiah, Principal Health Economist, African Development Bank

Mr. Helmut Turk, Vice-President, International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (2008-2011)

HMH Prince Jean of Luxembourg

Mr. Usamah Al Kurdi, Vice Chairman, International Chamber of Commerce, Saudi Arabia, Guest Speaker

Mr. Christophe Longuet, Docteur Medical, Fondation Merieux, France, Guest Speaker

Mr. Youssef Imghi, Director General, Tanger Med Engineering, Morocco. Guest Speaker

Mr. Mark Donfried, Director General and Founder, Institute for Culture Diplomacy, Germany, Guest Speaker

Mr. Serigne Diop, Special Advisor, Maritime Organisation for Western & Central Africa, Guest Speaker

Mr. Grzegorz Kolodko, Dep. Prime Minister & Minister of Finance (2002-2003), Poland, Guest Speaker

Admiral Jacques Lanxade, Chairman, Mediterranean Foundation for Strategic Studies, France, Guest Speaker

Mrs. Maja Ivanova, First Lady of Macedonia, Guest Speaker

Mr. Abdoulaye Diouf Sarr, Minister of Tourism & Air Transport, Senegal, Guest Speaker

Mr. Abderrahman Senihji, Dep. Director General, Head of Commercial Bank, Credit Agricole du Maroc, Morocco, Guest Speaker

Mr. Ali Rashid Ahmad Lootah, Chairman, Nakheel, United Arab Emirates

Mr. Gjorge Ivanov, President of the Republic of Macedonia, Guest Speaker

Mrs. Amina Benkhadra, Director General, National Office of Hydrocarbons and Mines, Morocco

Mr. Abbas Al Naqi, Secretary General of the Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries

Mr. Francis Tuffy, Brand Protection Manager, Oberthur Fiduciaire SDS, France

Mr. Omar A. Rahama, Chairman, Energy, Mining & Industry Committee, National Assembly, Sudan

Mr. Lahcen Haddad, Minister of Tourism, Morocco

Mr. Abdel –Ilah Benkiran, Prime Minister of Morocco

Mr. Peter Stoyanov, President of the Republic of Bulgaria (1997-2002)

Mr. Yonov Frederick Yonah Agah, Dep. Director General, World Trade Organization

Mr. Larbi Guedira, Director General, Maroc Telecom

Mr. Jean-Daniel Tordjman, Club des Ambassadeurs, France

Mr. Brahim  Fassi-Fihri, President & Founder, Amadeus Institute, Morocco

Mr. Tahar El Hana, Regional Director Agadir & Sud, BMCE Bank, Morocco

Mr. Jean-Pierre  Dawance, Regional Director, Nestle Maghreb

Mrs. Patricia Zoundi Yao, Director General, Quick Cash, Ivory Coast

Mr. Goule Bi Trah Bacely Yoro, Director General, Socialspot, Ivory Coast
Mr. Emmanuel Sekongo, Director, Union des Cooperatives de Vivriers des Savannes, Ivory Coast
Mrs. Mimouna Sayed, Executive, Agence du Sud, Morocco
Mrs. Muriel Sahouet, Director General, Muccosa Design, Ivory Coast
Mr. Mohamed Saber Cherkaoui, President, National Council for Human Rights for Laaoune, Boujdour, and Smara Regions, Morocco
Mr. Kouassi Filbert N'Guessan, Regional Director, Ministry of Industry and Mines, Ivory Coast
 Mr. Khattari Mjahdi, Regional Delegate, Entraide National, Morocco
Mrs. Sonia Mezzour, Secretary General, National Agency for Development of Renewables and Energetic Efficiency, Morocco
Mr. Saliou MBoup, Director General, COSEMAD and Carrefour Medical, Senegal
Mrs. Cheikha Hana Malainine, General Surgery Doctor, Hopital Hassan II, Morocco
Mrs. Aline Longandjo Obonga, Research Manager, Peace and Security College, DR Congo
Mr. Gnininagnon Kone, Managing Partner, Katio-Akpa, Ivory Coast
Mr. Anicet Konan, Chairman, My Way Network, Ivory Coast
Mrs. Khadija Janati, Chair, Mentoring Commission Association des Femmes Entrepreneurs du Maroc AFEM, Morocco
Mr. Afif Ibnoussina, Dep. Director General, Karkachi Group, Morocco