UN Security Council backs Morocco's plan for W. Sahara autonomy

The UN Security Council voted Friday in favor of a US-backed resolution stating that Morocco's autonomy plan for Western Sahara is the "most feasible" solution for the disputed territory, despite fierce opposition from Algeria.

The UN still classifies Western Sahara, a former Spanish colony until 1975, as a “non-self-governing territory” in the absence of a final settlement.

It remains the only territory in Africa whose post-colonial status is unresolved, locked in a conflict between Rabat and the separatist Polisario Front, which is supported by Algeria.

Shift in UN Stance

Previously, the Security Council had called on Morocco, the Polisario Front, Algeria, and Mauritania to resume negotiations, which have been stalled since 2019, to reach a “permanent and mutually acceptable political solution.”

However, the US draft resolution voted on Friday adopted a position in favor of Rabat's 2007 plan, which proposes granting the region autonomy under Moroccan sovereignty. The region is rich in phosphate and has waters abundant in fish resources.

The resolution was adopted with 11 votes in favor, none against, and three abstentions. Algeria refused to participate in the vote.

The text stated that Morocco’s 2007 plan for self-rule under Moroccan sovereignty may represent the most realistic solution and could constitute the "basis" for future negotiations to end the five-decade-old conflict.

The draft resolution, reviewed by Agence France-Presse, calls on UN Secretary-General António Guterres and his Special Envoy Staffan de Mistura to continue negotiations based on this plan.

Polisario and Diplomatic Tensions

Mohamed Yeslem Beisat, the Polisario Front's Foreign Affairs Official, previously told AFP that the Front could accept the Moroccan plan on condition that it is ratified by the Sahrawi people through a referendum. Algeria, the Polisario’s chief backer, strongly opposes this approach.

Diplomatic relations between Algeria and France have been highly strained since summer 2024 following Paris's recognition of the Moroccan plan. Algeria also expressed dissatisfaction in April over renewed Washington support for Rabat.

President Donald Trump, during his first term in 2020, announced US support for the Moroccan plan in exchange for Rabat normalizing relations with ‘Israel’, which opened the door for subsequent recognitions by Spain, France, Germany, and the United Kingdom.

Envoy Expresses Concerns

During a closed-door Security Council meeting in early October, De Mistura praised US diplomatic efforts on the file but expressed concern over the "vagueness" of the Moroccan plan, according to his speech text reviewed by AFP.

He urged Rabat to provide additional details and explanations of its proposal, specifically addressing the "principle of self-determination" for the Sahrawi people.

The resolution also provides for the one-year extension of the mandate for the UN peacekeeping mission in Western Sahara (MINURSO), a change from an earlier draft that proposed only a six-month extension.