The United Nations envoy to Western Sahara has suggested splitting the territory between Morocco and the pro-independence Polisario Front as a means to address the long-standing conflict, AFP reported on Thursday.

"I have discreetly revisited and expanded with all concerned on the concept of a partition of the Territory," Staffan de Mistura said during a closed session of the UN Security Council on Wednesday, according to remarks seen by AFP. 

Western Sahara is primarily controlled by Morocco, but the Polisario Front has been advocating for the territory's independence since before Spain, its colonial ruler, withdrew in 1975. The United Nations classifies it as a "non-autonomous territory."

Rabat, which governs around 80% of the territory, supports a plan for limited autonomy for Western Sahara under Moroccan sovereignty. In contrast, the Polisario Front is demanding a UN-supervised referendum on self-determination, a process that was intended to be established following the ceasefire in 1991 but has yet to be implemented.

De Mistura, a 77-year-old Italian-Swedish diplomat, has served as Secretary-General Antonio Guterres' envoy for Western Sahara for the past three years.

The diplomat told the Security Council, "Such an option could allow for the creation on the one hand of an independent state in the southern part, and on the other hand the integration of the rest of the Territory as part of Morocco, with its sovereignty over it internationally recognized," according to the remarks. 

He also noted that there is "no sign of willingness" from either Morocco or the Polisario Front to explore the proposal further. 

The Polisario criticized the plan, stating that it does not adequately "enshrine" the Sahrawi people's right to self-determination.

Sidi Omar, the Polisario representative to the UN, expressed the movement's "total and categorical rejection of any 'proposals' or 'initiatives'" in a post on X.

The Frente #POLISARIO strongly affirms its total and categorical rejection of any “proposals” or “initiatives”, regardless of the origin thereof, which do not fully enshrine and ensure the inalienable, non-negotiable and imprescriptible right of the Sahrawi people to… pic.twitter.com/e1SfP0vLha

— Amb. Sidi Omar (@SidiOmarNY) October 17, 2024

Earlier in July, France sparked a furious response from the pro-independence Polisario Front on July 30 when it declared that autonomy within Morocco was the "only" foundation for resolving the long-standing Western Sahara conflict.

French President Emmanuel Macron said that the Moroccan offer was "now the only basis that will lead to a just, lasting and negotiated political solution in line with UN Security Council resolutions" in a letter congratulating King Mohammed VI on the 25th anniversary of his coronation.

In response to Macron's remarks, Algeria, which advocates for the region's independence, announced that it has recalled its ambassador to France.

The official news agency APS cited the Algerian Foreign Ministry as saying, "The Algerian diplomatic representation in France is now the responsibility of a charge d'affaires," as it slammed Macron's statement as a "step that no other French government had taken before."