The UN envoy for Western Sahara, Staffan de Mistura, opted this Thursday for divide the territory between Morocco and the Polisario front as a solution to a dispute that has lasted for nearly five decades, according to Reuters.
The conflict, frozen for decades and dating back to 1975, opposes Morocco, which considers Western Sahara its own territoryagainst the independence movement Polisario Front, supported by Algeria, which seeks an independent state.
Rabat states that autonomy under Moroccan sovereignty This is the maximum it can offer as a political solution to the conflict, while the Sahrawi national liberation movement insists that hold a referendum on independence.
In a closed-door briefing to the Security Council on Wednesday, De Mistura said that partition “could allow the creation by one party of an independent state in the southern part, and on the other hand the integration of the rest of the territory into Morocco, with its internationally recognized sovereignty over it.”
However, De Mistura also acknowledged during this meeting that neither Rabat nor the Polisario Front They accepted the proposal. Furthermore, he added that UN Secretary-General António Guterres should reconsider the usefulness of his role as envoy. if no progress is made within six months.
He Security Council The UN has called on the parties in its resolutions to work together to achieve a mutually acceptable political solution to the conflict, while describes Morocco’s autonomy plan as “serious and credible”.
As Morocco’s autonomy plan gains traction at the bilateral level, de Mistura on Wednesday urged Rabat to “explain and expand” its proposal.
In July, France became the second permanent member of the Security Council, after the United States, by supporting Morocco’s sovereignty over the territory.
Algeria He reacted to the French position by summoning his ambassador to Paris for consultations. Western Sahara is at the center of disagreements between Morocco and Algeria.
Spain supported Morocco’s autonomy plan in 2022. Arab monarchies and Israel also support Morocco’s sovereignty over the territory, where 29 countries, mostly African and Arab, have opened consulates, which Rabat sees as support tangible.
