The Seventh International Congress on Desert Economy – ENCG, Dakhla city, Morocco (ICDED).

Under the theme: “ Territorial Justice and Development in the World's Remote Regions: Drylands, Mountain Zones, and Oases.”

 Date: April 15 and 16, 2026.

 Venue: The National School of Business and Management of Dakhla (ENCG Dakhla) in the Dakhla city, Morocco.

https://saharafrica.sciencesconf.org

1- Purpose and scope of The International Congress on Desert Economy – Dakhla, Morocco.

The Desert Action Association, Dakhla, Morocco

2- Organizing committee.

Dr.  Elouali AAILAL: The Founder and President of the International Congress on Desert Economy.

                                       ENCG, Dakhla City, Morocco.

                                       President of the  " Desert Action " Association, Dakhla. Morocco.  

Members:

•  Elouali Aailal. Research Professor at the ENCG of Dakhla. Morocco.

•  Aziz Sair. Director of the National School of Business and Management, ENCG Dakhla.  Morocco.

•  Carmelo J. León González. Director of the UNESCO Chair of Tourism and Sustainable Economic

                                                   Development. University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain.

•  Javier de León Ledesma. Co-Director of the UNESCO Chair of Tourism and Sustainable

                                               Economic Development. University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain.

•  Matías M. González Hernández. Co-Director of the UNESCO Chair of Tourism and Sustainable

                                               Economic Development. University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain.

3- Argument.

Territorial Justice and Development in the World's Remote Regions: Drylands, Mountain Zones, and Oases.

By Dr. Elouali Aailal.

Remote territories worldwide, whether the great Sahara Desert in Africa, the highlands of the Himalayas, or the frozen deserts of the Arctic, share common challenges due to their isolation and their relatively peripheral locations on the globe. Indeed, many arid lands, mountain areas, oases, and generally numerous remote regions around the world remain marginalized and suffer from structural inequalities, despite their rich human, historical, natural, cultural heritage, and economic potential, particularly in renewable energies, ecotourism, sustainable agriculture, and blue economy (ocean and sea economy).

Territorial justice (spatial justice) must be an inherent pillar of efficient national public policy, as we cannot imagine an inclusively developed country without it meeting the minimal requirements for equity in economic opportunities and providing fair distribution of national wealth and resources to empower local communities.

Decentralization in such remote, rugged, and sometimes inaccessible regions naturally takes more effort and time than in urban centers. Therefore, plans and programs oriented toward deserts, mountains, oases, and even coastal areas must be established as integrated territorial development programs, and accompanied by a State policy independent of the government's electoral cycles, because enhancing connectivity of these territories requires deep, long-term State commitments that cannot be subjected to the volatility of short-term political agendas.

The concentration of political, economic, and scientific actors in large and metropolitan cities is the main obstacle to the adoption of efficient, context-specific policies. We should, among other, follow a strategy of administrative de-concentration and advanced regionalization with multi-level governance, simply by being in place via the relocation of key public administrations and sectors that will execute and supervise structural plans directly, to endow remote regions with suitable and tailored solutions that take into account their specificities and challenges, particularly in terms of infrastructure and logistics, healthcare, education, digital connectivity, and climate change resilience and adaptation. This approach ensures that these promising regions are provided with expertise and qualified human resources, not to mention the pivotal role the private sector would play in investing in and developing key economic sectors in these territories.

In this context, Morocco has deployed sustained endeavors in territorial justice and development of its deserts and remote regions, for instance: the new development model for the southern provinces (NMDPS) devoted to the Moroccan Sahara desert; The rural development program for mountain areas (PDRZM); OASIS 2030 a development program for Moroccan Oases; the national coastal plan (PNL) oriented to sustainable development of coastal and littoral zones including coastal deserts such as the Atlantic Sahara.

As sustainable development is an ongoing process, further efforts are needed to reach genuine territorial cohesion and mitigate interregional socio-economic disparities within a country. This can only be achieved by strengthening solidarity mechanisms and increasing strategic partnerships and cooperation at all levels: national, North-South, South-South, and international.

By: Prof. Elouali Aailal. The President and Coordinator of the International Congress on Desert Economy. Dakhla. Morocco.

4- Scientific committee.

• Assia BenSalah Alaoui. The Orientation Council of the Royal Institute of Strategic Studies (IRES)-Rabat. The Association «Leaders for Peace». The Moroccan-British Society. The Moroccan-Japanese Friendship Association. Morocco.


• Aziz Sair. Director of the National School of Business and Management, ENCG Dakhla. Morocco.


• Elouali Aailal. The President and the Founder of the International Congress on Desert Economy - Dakhla, Professor at ENCG Dakhla. President of the " Desert Action " Association, Dakhla. Morocco.


• Brian Sandoval. President of the University of Nevada, Reno. Former Governor of the State of Nevada.  United States of America.


• Jimmy Cocking. Director of the Desert Knowledge Australia (DKA). CEO of the Arid Lands Environment Center. Vice President of the Australian Conservation Foundation. Australia.


• Carmelo J. León González. Director of the UNESCO Chair of Tourism and Sustainable Economic Development. University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. Spain.


• Javier de León Ledesma. Co-Director of the UNESCO Chair of Tourism and Sustainable Economic Development. University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. Spain.


• Keith W. Martin. Founding member of The Sahara Spirit Foundation. Morocco. Member of the Rotary International committee. United States of America.


• Sharon Megdal. President of the International Arid Lands Consortium. Director of the University of Arizona Water Resources Research Center (WRRC). Arizona. United States of America.


• Paul Van Son. President  & CEO of the DESERTEC Industrial Initiative. Desert Energy. Honorary President of the European Federation of Energy Traders (EFET). Germany.


• Nasir El Bassam. Director of the International Renewable Energy Research Center. USA. Chairman of the World Renewable Energy Council, Germany.


• Ghaleb Alhadrami. Provost  & Vice Chancellor of the United Arab Emirates University. United Arab Emirates.


• Alan Gertler. Vice President of Research at the Desert Research Institute (DRI), Reno. Director of the Clean Technologies and Renewable Energy Center. Nevada.  United States of America.


• James Smith. President-elect of the International Association for Energy Economics (IAEE). Southern Methodist University. Texas. United States of America.


• Roderick Tennyson. Co-Founder and President of the Trans Africa Pipeline Inc (TAP). Institute for Aerospace Studies, University of Toronto. Canada.


• Carmelo Rodriguez Torreblanca. President of the University of Almería. Spain.


• Hillard Huntington. Director of the Energy Modeling Forum. Stanford University. California.  United States of America.


• Johan Hollander. World Maritime University (WMU), Global Ocean Institute, and International Maritime Organization (IMO). Sweden.


• Mustapha Naimi. University Institute of Scientific Research, Rabat. Morocco.


• Khalid Amrouch. University of Adelaide. Australia. Mohammed VI Polytechnic University, Ben Guerir. National Office of Hydrocarbons and Mines (ONHYM).  Morocco.


• Ousmane Dramé. President of the Ahmed Baba University (UPAB). President of the Coalition for Higher Education in Mali. Commissioner for the governance of the International Network of Higher Education Institutions of the CAMES Area. Mali.


• Matías M. González Hernández. Co-Director of the UNESCO Chair in Tourism and Sustainable Economic Development. University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. Spain.


• Gian Gabriele Ori. Director of Ibn Battuta Center for Exploration and Field Activity. Morocco. Director of the International Research School of Planetary Sciences. The University of Annunzi. Italy.


• Bernard Faye. Founder and the first President of The International Society of Camelid Research and Development (ISOCARD). Camelologist at The French Agricultural Research Centre for International Development (CIRAD). France.


• Mubarak Abdalla. Director of the Desertification and Desert Cultivation Studies Institute. Deputy Dean of Agricultural and Veterinary Studies, University of Khartoum. Sudan.


• Poul Alberg Østergaard. Director of the Sustainable Energy Planning and Management Program. Aalborg University. Denmark.


• Gabriel del Barrio. Experimental Station of Arid Zones, Almería. The Spanish National Research Council (CSIC). Spain.


• Mahamat Saleh Daoussa Haggar. President of the University of N'Djaména. Chad.


• André Torre. Director at MSH Paris-Saclay University.  Research Director at the National Institute for Agronomic Research (INRA). President of the European Regional Science Association (ERSA). France.


• Sergio Moreno Gil. Co-Director of International Relations at UNESCO Chair in Tourism and Sustainable Economic Development. University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria.  Spain.


• Maureen McCarthy. Tahoe & Great Basin Research Director, University of Nevada. Research Faculty at the Desert Research Institute (DRI), Reno. Nevada. United States of America.


• Christoph Lütge. Director of the Institute for Ethics in Artificial Intelligence. Technical University of Munich. Germany. Former Visiting Professor at Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts. USA.


• El Moustapha Sidi Mohamed. Director of the Higher Institute of Accounting and Business Administration, ISCAE. Mauritania.


• Aykut Olcer. Head of Maritime Energy Management. World Maritime University. Sweden.


• Kader Kaneye. Founder and President of the African Development University. Niger.


• Romila Verma.  Founder and Director of the Trans Africa Pipeline Inc (TAP).  University of Toronto. Canada. ISMARE Environmental. India.


• Niels Vestergaard. Director of the Centre for Fisheries and Aquaculture Management and Economics (FAME). University of Southern Denmark. Denmark.


• Nishanov Nariman. Economist at the International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA). National Project Coordinator of  FAO at the Central Asia Desert Initiative (CADI).  Uzbekistan.


• Jinlong Ma. University of Melbourne. Australia. Vice president at APEC Sustainable Energy Centre, Tianjin University, China.


• Houcine Khatteli. General Director of the Institute of Arid Regions, Tunisia.


• Abdou Maisharou. General Director of the National Agency of the Great Green Wall for the Sahara and the Sahel. Niger.


• Ole Kristian Sivertsen. CEO at Desert Control. Norway.


• Khaled Sharbatly. “ Desert Technologies ”. Saudi Arabia.


• Juan Luis García. Director of the Atacama Desert Center. Faculty of History, Geography and Political Science. Chile.


• Hanaa Hachimi. President of the Moroccan Society of Engineering Sciences and Technology, Director of the Systems Engineering Laboratory. Sultan Moulay Slimane University, Beni Mellal.


• Fatima Arib. Director of ENCG Marrakech. Cadi Ayyad University, Marrakech.


• Julius Gatune. The African Center for Economic Transformation. South Africa.

5- Themes.

As the International Congress on Desert Economy - Dakhla, is an interdisciplinary scientific research platform on the desert, the Sahara, and arid regions, and due to the lack of economic and scientific literature on deserts, arid zones, and the Sahara, there will be a variety of themes and contributions will focus mainly on one of the following (non-exhaustive) themes:

1. Trans-Saharan Megaprojects and Initiatives (Trans-African):  

• The Moroccan Royal Atlantic Initiative (Facilitating the access of the Sahel countries to the Atlantic Ocean);


• The African Atlantic Gas Pipeline Project, AAGP (Morocco - Nigeria Gas Pipeline);


• The Great Green Wall for the Sahara and the Sahel Initiative (Greening the Sahara and combating the desertification);


• The " Dakhla Atlantic Port" Project;


• The DESERTEC  Project;


• The Trans Africa Pipeline Project (Bringing Water to the Great Sahara and the Sahel);


• The " Power Africa " Initiative;


• The " Desert to Power " Initiative;


• The African Continental Free Trade Area AfCFTA (Africa's Silk Road );


• The United States of America's Initiative: " Prosper Africa ";


• The MENA and China’s Belt and Road Initiative BRI (China's new silk road and maritime Silk Road).

2. Territorial Justice and Development in Arid Lands, The Sahara, Mountain Zones, Oases, and Coastal Deserts.


3. Public Policy, Planning, Spatial Justice, and Regional Development in the World’s Remote Zones.


4. Rare Earth Minerals (Elements) and Critical and Strategic Minerals Economy, Business, and Policy in Deserts and Remote Regions.


5. International Scientific Research Collaboration for the Desert, the Sahara, Arid Lands, and Remote Rural Areas Economic Development.


6. Regional and Inter-African Economic Collaboration and Partnerships for the Great Sahara Desert and the Sahel.


7. Business, Entrepreneurship, and Investments in Arid Lands (deserts, Sahara) and Remote Rural Areas.


8. Deserts (arid lands, Sahara), the Economics of Space (Space Economy), and Space Industry.


9. Drought, Water Scarcity Management, and the Opening up of Remote Rural Arid Regions.


10. The Economics of Water, Energy and Hydraulic Resources Management.


11. Energy and Food Security in Drylands, Arid Agriculture (desert agriculture), Biosaline Agriculture, Precision Agriculture, and Irrigation Rationalization (economic, social and environmental aspects).


12. Environmental and Climate Finance (green finance).


13. Phosphate Economics and the Phosphate Fertilizer Industry.


14. Energy Economics and Management.


15. Desertification, Land Degradation, Climate Change (resilience and adaptation), and Environment.


16. Livestock Economics, Management, and Production (camels, sheep, cows…).


17. Desert Tourism, Saharan Tourism (arid lands tourism, oasis tourism, ecotourism), Travel, and Hospitality Industry.


18. Sports Economy, Water (nautical) Sports Management, and Recreation Economy.


19. Cultural Entrepreneurship and Management of Tangible and Intangible Heritage (arts, cultural industries, creative industries and music industry, traditional crafts, and artisans.)


20. Ocean Economy, Sea Economy (maritime), and Blue Economy.


21. Economics and Management of Fisheries and Aquaculture.


22. Renewable Energy and Energy Transition.


23. Energy Business, Entrepreneurship in Energy, and Energy Management.


24. Offshore Renewable Energy, Marine Wind Energy and Marine Solar Energy (ocean power).


25. Wave Energy and Tidal Energy. 


26. Hydrogen Economy, Low Carbon Energy: Power-to-X and Green Hydrogen (economic, social and environmental aspects).


27. Deserts (arid lands, Sahara) and Global Economic Transformation.


28. Energy Supply and Demand.


29. Energy Crisis Management, Energy Risk Management, and the Impacts of Coronavirus Crisis on Energy Sector (pre-crisis, during, and post Covid-19 crisis).


30. Access to Energy and Energy Security.


31. Conventional Energy Resources: Oil (hydrocarbons), Gas, and Coal.


32. Energy in Tourism, Travel, and Hospitality Industry.


33. Energy in Agribusiness, Aquabusiness (aquaculture), and Fisheries Business (halieutic).


34. Agricultural Economics (rural economics).


35. Sustainable Mobility (ecomobility), Transportation, Logistics and Supply Chain Management.


36. Energy Economics Modeling.


37. Energy Policy, Law, and Regulation.


38. New Technologies (Artificial Intelligence, Blockchain...) and Energy Efficiency (economic, social and environmental aspects).


39. Sustainable Off-Grid Electricity for Rural and Remote (arid) Areas, and Poverty Reduction.


40. Economic Geology and Economic Geography.


41. Tourism, Travel, and Hospitality Industry (tourism economics).


42. Green Economy, Circular Economy, and Sustainable Development.


43. Social and Solidarity Economy, and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).


44. Public/Private Investment and Business Climate.


45. International Collaboration and Trade Logistics.


46. Migrations and SDGs.


47. Management, Governance, and Sustainability Issues.


48. Entrepreneurship, Marketing, and Innovation.


49. Knowledge Economy and Human Capital.


50. Finance and Financial System.


51. Digital Economy.


52. Economic Intelligence.

6- Call for Papers.

It is with pleasure that we invite the researchers to make "Registration" on the website then to "Submit"   an abstract for presentations, as oral communication, through the congress website: https://saharafrica.sciencesconf.org , within the framework of one of the Themes of the congress, no later than January 18, 2026. Proposals must meet the scientific standards required in the Author guidelines section.

There is no registration or participation fee in this congress (the participation is free of charge). After evaluation by the Scientific Committee of the abstracts of communication projects, authors will be informed of the results via email.

Full versions must be submitted, no later than Mars 11, 2026, both via the website and as Microsoft Word and PDF attachments to the following email address: economydesert@gmail.com

For PhD students, please bring your student ID card or your registration certificate.

Further information about the Congress, including information on Dakhla city, is available on our website:  

https://saharafrica.sciencesconf.org

7- Author guidelines.

In order to submit an abstract, please follow these steps:

       1. Create an account by selecting "Registration" on our website: https://saharafrica.sciencesconf.org

       2. Submit your abstract by selecting "Submit" no later than January 18, 2026.

       3. If you receive a notification of acceptance, "Submit" and send the full version no later than Mars 11, 2026.

Please submit the abstract of your proposal for oral communication via the submission system on our website (copy and paste your abstract in the space provided in the form).

Abstracts should not exceed 600 words, in one page, and should include:

1. The header:

•     The title of the communication;


•     The first name and the last name ;


•     Function and institutional affiliation;


•     Keywords (3-5).

2. The abstract text:

1.     The problem;


2.     The objectives;


3.     The methodological framework;


4.      Preliminary results (if possible).

Oral communications.

Oral interventions will be in English, Arabic, French and Spanish, for a period of 10 minutes, followed by a discussion of 5 minutes.

Full versions.

The full versions, is to be submitted, first via the website, then to send another copy, before Mars 11, 2026, as attached files in both pdf and Microsoft Word format to the following e-mail address: economydesert@gmail.com , a template of the accepted full versions is available on the website.

8- Publication.

The best selected proposals will be published in The International Journal of Sustainable Energy Planning and Management (IJSEPM)

The languages of the Congress are : English, Arabic, French and Spanish.

9- PhD Workshop.

A PhD workshop will be organized as part of the Seventh International Congress on Desert Economy (ICDED) – ENCG Dakhla. The challenge is to allow PhD students to make a short oral presentation (6 min at most) on their theses work at various stages of advancement. This doctoral workshop is organized in the context of the importance given by our School to young researchers. We are committed to fostering their integration into the scientific community. PhD students in various disciplines (Economics, Management, Geography, Environment, Culture ...), are invited to submit an abstract of a short communication related to their thesis work. Further information about this PhD Workshop is available in the section “PhD Workshop”, on our website: https://saharafrica.sciencesconf.org/resource/page/id/11

10- Sahara Desert Excursion

Combine pleasure, business, and science.

The Desert Action association organize on Friday, April 17, 2026, an excursion to the desert of Sbita (Dakhla region). This excursion is part of the post-congress program of the Seventh International Congress on Desert Economy (ICDED), it’s an opportunity to savor the beauty of this region.

Further information about this Excursion is available in the section “Sahara Desert Excursion”, on our website:  https://saharafrica.sciencesconf.org/resource/page/id/14

At the closure of the congress, there will be a musical concert entitled " The Sahara Desert Music " concert.

https://facebook.com/Desert-Action-343917626009142/

The Desert Action Association, Dakhla, Morocco

The Sbita Desert:

In the middle of nowhere, to combine business with pleasure.

The most peaceful and joyful moments in the middle of nowhere, "The Sbita Desert ", with its sandy horizons, adorned by the most amazing desert tree: the Acacia (raddiana), under its refreshing shadows, while listening to some classic tones of the Desert: “Hassani music" (Sahara music), you will attend a "desert barbecue" and you will taste the traditional dish of southern provinces: "Rice with camel meat". Of course, this time of entertainment is interrupted by three ritual and special moments, those of the presentation of the famous three cups of "Saharan Tea", prepared under a tent of the desert.

This moment of relaxation and contemplation is not a moment of inactivity, but also an opportunity to combine business with pleasure: Times of exploration, curiosity and popular science. The light will be put on certain phenomena that take place in the desert: Meteorological (precipitation and plants of the desert), geological (formation of dunes), archaeological...

Also this will be an opportunity to raise awareness for students and high school pupils of astronomy and space field experimentation and simulation in desert, and it will also be a suitable moment to underscore the economic potential of Space industry, the economics of space (space economy), and all space related economic activities that takes place in Deserts, Sahara, and Arid lands.

And above all, the central desert place around the world and its promising economic potential: desert tourism (Sahara), sport and adventure tourism, renewable energies, agriculture, raw materials and minerals, oceanic economy (blue), desert technology, tangible and intangible heritage (cultural) ... etc

Departure from Dakhla: Friday, April 17, 2026, at 09h:00.

Return to Dakhla: In the evening about 19h:00.

The menu:

Beet salad (Barba salad)

Tomato salad

Pasta salad

Cucumber salad

Nicoise salad

Rice with camel meat (the traditional dish in the southern provinces)

Grilled chicken

Grilled sheep

Grilled kebabs

Drinks

Bread

Saharan tea.

https://facebook.com/Desert-Action-343917626009142/

https://www.saharadesertresearch.com

11- About this Congress.

The idea of the International Congress on Desert Economy (ICDED) – ENCG, Dakhla city - Morocco,  arose for the first time by an initiative of Prof. Elouali Aailal, in the framework of the "Desert Action"  association (literally in Arabic "Desert Pioneers" “ رواد الصحراء “), on February 2017, in Dakhla city. This congress is annually organized by the National School of Business and Management (ENCG Dakhla) of Dakhla. This congress is also referred to as The International Congress on Desert, Arid Lands, and Sahara Economy Development (ICDED) - ENCG, Dakhla, Morocco.

The "Desert Action" Association, in Dakhla city, is the first-ever created Moroccan, African, and International organization, specialized in Arid Lands, Sahara, and Desert economic development (oases and remote rural areas development), business, management, and in promoting, attracting and encouraging investment in the Sahara and deserts (arid lands).  The Desert Action Association was created on the initiative of Dr. Elouali Aailal. The ultimate goal of the "Desert Action" Association is to enhance scientific research and development (R&D) on Deserts, Arid Lands, and the Sahara, in an approach of thinking globally (Internationally) and acting locally.

https://facebook.com/Desert-Action-343917626009142/

The website of the sixth edition of the International Congress on Desert Economy – Dakhla 2025:  

https://desert-aridland.sciencesconf.org

The website of the fifth edition of the International Congress on Desert Economy – Dakhla 2024:  

https://desert-research.sciencesconf.org

The website of the fourth edition of the International Congress on Desert Economy – Dakhla 2023:  

https://sahara-desert.sciencesconf.org

The website of the third edition of the International Congress on Desert Economy – Dakhla 2020 (postponed to 2022):  

https://sahara-economy3.sciencesconf.org

The website of the second edition of the International Congress on Desert Economy – Dakhla 2019:  

https://sahara-economy.sciencesconf.org

The website of the first edition of the International Congress on Desert Economy –Dakhla 2018:

https://desert-economy1.sciencesconf.org

12- The " Théodore Monod Desert Award " project.

In february 2017, and by an initiative of Prof. Elouali Aailal,  the "Desert Action" Association - Dakhla, was the instigator of the project to create an annual Prize named "The Théodore Monod Desert Award " (Prof. Théodore Monod), to be the first worldwide Award for scientific research and economic development of arid lands, the Sahara, and desert, in order to pay tribute and honor the memory of this exceptional man who devoted his life to scientific research on the desert and arid lands, and to acknowledge his human qualities and his pioneering efforts on desert and Sahara studying and exploring. The idea was to annually award this Prize within the framework of the editions of the International Congress on Desert Economy (ICDED) - ENCG Dakhla, Morocco, to encourage and enhance scientific, economic and development studies and research on deserts (arid lands, Sahara), in its different aspects: scientifics, economics... Youtube Video

https://www.saharadesertresearch.com

International Congress on Desert Economy – ENCG, Dakhla City, Morocco.

Think globally, act locally.