The United Nations Security Council is set to vote on Friday on a resolution endorsing Morocco’s sovereignty over the disputed Western Sahara region. This move aligns with the Trump administration’s support for Morocco’s autonomy plan, marking a significant shift in the decades-long conflict. The resolution, if passed, would represent the strongest international backing yet for Morocco’s claim, supported by most European Union members and a growing number of African allies. It notably omits references to a U.N.-backed referendum on self-determination, a stance supported by Algeria, Russia, and China, instead proposing ‘genuine autonomy under Moroccan sovereignty’ as the most viable solution. The resolution also seeks to renew the U.N. peacekeeping mission in Western Sahara for another year, a mission that has been in place for over three decades. Western Sahara, a phosphate-rich coastal desert the size of Colorado, has been a contentious territory since Spain relinquished control in 1975. Both Morocco and the Polisario Front, a pro-independence group based in Algerian refugee camps, lay claim to the region. The Polisario Front has rejected the resolution, vowing to continue its fight for self-determination. The U.N. resolution calls for all parties to seize this ‘unprecedented opportunity for lasting peace’ and requests Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to review the peacekeeping mission’s mandate within six months. The conflict remains a central issue in North African diplomacy, with Morocco viewing support for its autonomy plan as a key indicator of international alliances. The resolution comes amid U.S. efforts to reassess funding for U.N. programs, including peacekeeping, as part of a broader strategy to align U.N. operations with American interests.
UN set to vote on a resolution backing Morocco’s plan for Western Sahara, in a major shift
