The UN Security Council has adopted a US-backed resolution that supports Moroccan claim regarding the contested territory, despite fierce opposition from Algeria.
Although Friday's decision was divided, the resolution represents the strongest support yet for Moroccan proposal to retain sovereignty over the territory, which additionally enjoys support from the majority of EU members and a increasing number of African nation allies.
The resolution describes Morocco's plan as a foundation for talks. Similar to previous measures, the text doesn't include a referendum on self-determination that includes sovereignty as an choice, which constitutes the solution long favored by the pro-independence Polisario Front and its allies.
Genuine autonomy under Moroccan sovereignty could represent a most feasible resolution.
Western Sahara is a phosphate-rich area of coastal desert the area of a US state which was under Spanish rule until 1975. It is asserted by both the Moroccan government and the Polisario Front, which operates from refugee camps in southwestern neighboring Algeria and asserts to represent the Sahrawi people indigenous to the contested region.
The United States, which sponsored the measure, led eleven nations in deciding in support, while three countries – multiple nations – abstained. Algeria, Polisario's main benefactor, did not vote.
The US ambassador, the US ambassador to the UN, stated the vote had been "significant" and would "advance the progress for a much-delayed peace in the region".
The Algerian ambassador, the Algeria's representative to the United Nations, commented that while the measure was an advancement on earlier iterations, it "still has a number of shortcomings".
The resolution also extends the United Nations security operation in the territory for another twelve months, as has been implemented for over three decades. Previous extensions, however, have not contained a mention to Moroccan and its supporters' preferred resolution.
The measure urges all parties involved to "seize this unprecedented opportunity for a enduring peace." Depending on developments, it asks the UN leader to assess the operation's mandate within six months.
The shift could unsettle a protracted situation that for decades has escaped settlement, notwithstanding a United Nations security mission that was intended to be temporary. Protests have ensued in indigenous refugee camps in the neighboring country this week, where residents have pledged not to give up their fight for self-determination.
The Moroccan government controls almost all of Western Sahara, excluding a thin area known as the "liberated area" that lies east of a Moroccan-built sand wall.
A 1991 ceasefire was meant to facilitate a referendum on independence, but fighting over voter eligibility prevented it from taking place.
Over the years, the Moroccan government has developed the contested region, constructing a deepwater port and a 656-mile road. State subsidies keep basic commodity prices low, and the resident count has grown significantly as Moroccan citizens settle in cities such as major settlements.
Polisario withdrew from the truce in 2020 after confrontations near a route Morocco was constructing to neighboring Mauritania.
The movement has since frequently reported security operations, while the government has primarily denied active fighting. The UN describes it "limited tensions".
Reacting to the proposed measure, Polisario stated that it would not join any process intending "to 'legitimise' Morocco's unauthorized military occupation," saying resolution "cannot happen by rewarding expansionism".
The situation represents the central issue in north African diplomacy. Morocco considers endorsement of its autonomy plan as a standard for how it assesses its allies.
Recently, the UN envoy suggested partitioning the territory, a proposal neither side accepted. He encouraged the government to clarify what autonomy would entail and cautioned that a absence of development might raise questions about the UN's function and "whether there is space and readiness for us to still be useful."
The push to reassess the UN operation comes as the US slashes financial support for United Nations initiatives and organizations, including security operations.
Elara is a seasoned writer and digital storyteller with a passion for exploring diverse literary genres and empowering others through words.
