🔗 Share this article

UN's top security body has approved a US-backed measure that favors Morocco's claim regarding the disputed territory, despite fierce resistance from Algeria.

Split Vote Bolsters Moroccan Stance

Although Friday's vote was divided, the measure represents the strongest support yet for Morocco's proposal to retain sovereignty over the region, which also enjoys backing from most EU members and a growing number of African partners.

Resolution Structure and Important Elements

The document describes Moroccan proposal as a basis for negotiation. As with previous measures, the document makes no mention of a vote on independence that contains sovereignty as an option, which constitutes the approach traditionally supported by the pro-independence Polisario Front and its allies.

Real autonomy under Morocco's authority could represent a most practical solution.

Historical Information

The territory is a phosphate-rich stretch of coastline arid land the size of a US state which was under Spain's control until the mid-1970s. It is claimed by both the Moroccan government and the Polisario Front, which functions from refugee camps in southwestern neighboring Algeria and claims to speak for the Sahrawi people indigenous to the contested region.

Voting Patterns and Global Reactions

The United States, which sponsored the measure, guided eleven countries in deciding in favor, while three countries – multiple nations – declined to vote. The neighboring country, Polisario's primary benefactor, did not vote.

The US ambassador, the American representative to the United Nations, said the vote had been "historic" and would "build on the momentum for a much-delayed peace in Western Sahara".

The Algerian ambassador, the Algerian representative to the UN, said that while the resolution was an advancement on earlier versions, it "still has a number of shortcomings".

Security Operation and Upcoming Assessment

The measure also extends the UN peacekeeping mission in the territory for another twelve months, as has been implemented for over thirty years. Previous extensions, though, have not included a reference to Morocco and its allies' preferred resolution.

The UN resolution calls on all parties participating to "take this unprecedented chance for a enduring peace." Based on progress, it requests the UN leader to review the peacekeeping mission's mandate within six months.

Regional Impact and Current Situation

The shift could disrupt a long-stalled process that for many years has eluded settlement, notwithstanding a United Nations peacekeeping operation that was designed to be short-term. Protests have followed in Sahrawi refugee camps in Algeria this recent period, where residents have vowed not to abandon their struggle for independence.

The Moroccan government controls almost all of the territory, except for a thin strip called the "free zone" that lies east of a constructed by Morocco barrier.

Past Background and Current Events

A 1991-era truce was intended to pave the way for a referendum on self-determination, but fighting over voter eligibility prevented it from taking place.

Over the years, Morocco has transformed the contested region, constructing a maritime facility and a long road. Government support keep food and energy prices affordable, and the resident count has grown significantly as Moroccan citizens settle in cities such as Dakhla and Laayoune.

The movement ended the ceasefire in 2020 after clashes near a road Morocco was constructing to Mauritania.

The group has since frequently reported military activity, while the government has mostly denied active fighting. The United Nations describes it "low-level tensions".

Global Relations and Coming Possibilities

In response to the draft resolution, the movement stated that it would not participate in any process aiming "to validate Morocco's illegal presence," adding resolution "cannot happen by supporting territorial claims".

The situation represents the central issue in regional international relations. Morocco views support for its proposal as a benchmark for how it gauges its allies.

Last October, the UN representative proposed partitioning the territory, a proposal no party agreed to. He urged Morocco to clarify what autonomy would involve and cautioned that a absence of progress might raise questions about the United Nations' function and "whether there is space and readiness for us to still be useful."

The initiative to reassess the United Nations Mission comes as the United States slashes financial support for United Nations initiatives and organizations, including security operations.