This Friday, the United Nations Security Council supported the resolution that considers real autonomy for Western Sahara under Moroccan sovereignty. “could constitute a viable solution” to the conflict that has lasted for half a century.
Morocco claims the territory as its own and fights the Polisario Front, backed by Algeria, which defends the creation of an independent State.
The autonomy plan – presented by Rabat to the UN in 2007 – provides for the creation of local legislative, executive and judicial institutions elected by the Sahrawi population, while the Moroccan Government would maintain control of defence, foreign relations and religious affairs.
The Polisario, on the other hand, insists on holding a self-determination referendum that includes the option of independence.
It was not immediately clear whether the resolution, drafted by the United States and to which it had access Reuterswould have the support of Russia and China, both with veto rights. For its approval, the text had to receive at least nine votes in favor and not be opposed by any of the five permanent members of the Council (United States, Russia, China, United Kingdom and France).
The draft explicitly endorses the Moroccan proposal as a basis for negotiations. The Polisario Front has warned that it will not participate in any process that enshrines autonomy as the only way, and Algeria announced that it would not support the text if it maintains that formulation.
The project also extends for one year the mandate of the UN peacekeeping mission in the territory, MINURSO, whose mandate expires this Friday. An initial version of the document only extended the mission for six months.
The next thing will be for the UN Secretary General, António Guterres, to present within six months a “strategic review” of the future of MINURSO based on the progress of the negotiations.
It is worth remembering that, in July, Donald Trump He reaffirmed his support for Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara and defended autonomy as the “only possible solution.” Your envoy, Steve Witkoffstated that Washington was working to facilitate an agreement between Morocco and Algeria.
France took a similar step by recognizing Rabat’s sovereignty over the territory and promoting investments in the area. In June, the United Kingdom became the third member of the Security Council to publicly support the autonomy proposal. Spain, a former colonial power, also supports the Moroccan position.
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