Morocco’s Foreign Minister, Nasser Bourita, recently declared that a United Nations proposal to partition Western Sahara is “unacceptable.” This proposal came from UN envoy Staffan de Mistura during a closed session of the UN Security Council.
Bourita pointed out that Morocco has rejected similar proposals in the past. De Mistura had suggested dividing the territory during his visit to Morocco in April, which was also met with disapproval. The Foreign Minister stated that Morocco will not accept any proposal that contradicts its claim that the Sahara is Moroccan.
Western Sahara is largely controlled by Morocco, but the Polisario Front, supported by Algeria, has been fighting for independence since Spain’s withdrawal in 1975. The United Nations considers this territory a “non-autonomous territory.” Morocco claims about 80% of Western Sahara and has proposed a plan for limited autonomy while still maintaining its sovereignty over the region.
The Polisario Front continues to call for a referendum on self-determination, which was supposed to happen after a ceasefire in 1991 but has yet to be implemented. De Mistura, who has served as the personal envoy for Western Sahara for the last three years, is working to find a resolution to this long-standing conflict.
Bourita also mentioned a similar proposal made by former UN envoy James Becker in 2002, which Morocco rejected. He emphasized, “Morocco does not negotiate its sovereignty over the Sahara,” indicating that this issue is primarily a dispute with Algeria regarding the territory.
Relations between Algeria and Morocco have been tense since 2021, largely due to this conflict. In 2020, the United States recognized Morocco’s claim over Western Sahara in exchange for Morocco normalizing relations with Israel.
To achieve a political solution, Bourita called for “round table” discussions that would occur within the framework of Moroccan sovereignty. He spoke alongside Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna, who stated that Estonia views Morocco’s autonomy plan as a credible basis for resolving the issue.
