UN backs Morocco’s autonomy plan for Western Sahara amid Algeria fury
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The move was welcomed in Rabat but condemned by Algeria and the Polisario Front as unjust.
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A Sahrawi refugee woman stands at the door of her home in the Boujdour refugee camp, Algeria, on Oct. 15, 2021 (AP)
The United Nations Security Council voted to endorse Morocco’s proposal granting autonomy to Western Sahara, describing it as the “most feasible” path to resolve the decades-long dispute. The decision was met with celebration in Rabat but provoked strong objections from Algeria.
Western Sahara, a vast and mineral-rich territory once colonized by Spain, has long been contested between Morocco, which controls most of the region, and the Algeria-backed Polisario Front, which seeks full independence.
In previous resolutions, the Security Council had urged Morocco, the Polisario Front, Algeria, and Mauritania to resume negotiations toward a comprehensive political settlement.
However, under an initiative introduced by the administration of US President Donald Trump, the council shifted its stance to explicitly support Rabat’s autonomy proposal, first presented in 2007. The plan envisions Western Sahara exercising self-rule under Morocco’s sovereignty.
Adopted by an 11–0 vote, with three abstentions and Algeria declining to participate, the resolution stated that autonomy “may be the basis for future negotiations” to end the half-century conflict.
“Genuine autonomy under Moroccan sovereignty could constitute a most feasible solution,” the document affirmed.
Celebrations in Morocco
King Mohammed VI hailed the decision as “historic", declaring that Morocco was “opening a new and victorious chapter in the process of enshrining the Moroccan character of the Sahara.”
In Rabat, thousands of Moroccans took to the streets in jubilation, waving flags and chanting patriotic slogans. “The Sahara is Moroccan and always has been!” shouted crowds as fireworks lit up the capital’s skyline.
US-led push and international reactions
The resolution marks the latest step in Washington’s backing of Morocco’s sovereignty claim. In 2020, during his first term, Trump formally recognized Moroccan control over Western Sahara after Rabat agreed to normalize relations with “Israel”, an arrangement that advanced strategic goals for both nations.
Since then, several European powers, including Spain, France, Britain, and Germany, have voiced support for Morocco’s stance on the territory.
Criticism from Algeria, the Polisario
While the UN envoy for Western Sahara, Staffan de Mistura, welcomed Washington’s engagement, he noted concerns over “a lack of detail” in Rabat’s proposal.
Algeria’s ambassador to the UN, Amar Bendjama, sharply criticized the resolution, arguing that it “does not faithfully or sufficiently reflect the UN doctrine on decolonization.”
He said the measure “fell short of the expectations and legitimate aspirations of the people of Western Sahara, represented by the Polisario Front (who) have been resisting for over 50 years to have, as the sole party, a say in their own destiny.”
The resolution calls on UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and his envoy, de Mistura, to facilitate renewed talks based on Morocco’s plan, aiming for a “mutually acceptable agreement” between the parties. It also extends the mandate of the UN peacekeeping mission in Western Sahara for another year.
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