Morocco Declares UN Proposal to Partition Western Sahara ‘Unacceptable’

Western Sahara is largely controlled by Morocco, while the Polisario Front, backed by Algeria, has been advocating for independence since before Spain’s withdrawal in 1975.

The territory is classified as a “non-autonomous territory” by the United Nations. Morocco claims approximately 80 percent of the area and has proposed a plan for limited autonomy under its sovereignty.

The Polisario Front is calling for a referendum on self-determination, a process that was initially intended to take place following a ceasefire in 1991 but has yet to be implemented. De Mistura, a 77-year-old Italian-Swedish diplomat, has served as UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’ personal envoy for Western Sahara for the past three years.

Bourita also mentioned a similar plan proposed by former UN envoy James Becker in 2002, which Morocco rejected. “Morocco does not negotiate its sovereignty over the Sahara,” he said, emphasizing that the issue is “a regional dispute with a neighbouring country that objects to Morocco’s sovereignty over its land.”

Diplomatic relations between Algeria and Morocco were severed in 2021, partly due to this conflict. In 2020, the United States recognized Morocco’s annexation of Western Sahara in exchange for Rabat normalizing ties with Israel.

Bourita called for “round table” discussions to reach a “political solution” to the conflict within the framework of Moroccan sovereignty.

The press conference took place alongside Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna, who expressed that Estonia considers Morocco’s autonomy plan as “a good, serious, and credible basis for a solution.”