Morocco Western Sahara UN Backs Autonomy Plan

Morocco declares Unity Day after UN backs its Western Sahara autonomy plan, highlighting national unity and renewed peacekeeping efforts.

Morocco has declared October 31 as a national holiday, called Unity Day, to celebrate the UN Security Council approving its sovereignty plan for Western Sahara. The holiday highlights Morocco’s national unity and territorial integrity.

UN Approves Moroccan Autonomy Plan

The UN Security Council voted Friday to back Morocco’s plan, calling genuine autonomy under Moroccan sovereignty the “most feasible solution” for the decades-old Western Sahara conflict. The US led 11 countries in favor. Russia, China, and Pakistan abstained, while Algeria opposed the resolution. The UN also renewed its Minurso peacekeeping mandate for one year.

Background of the Western Sahara Dispute

Western Sahara, a phosphate-rich desert of roughly 260,000 sq km, remained under Spanish rule until 1975 and was later annexed by Morocco. Some areas still fall under the Polisario Front, an armed group seeking full independence for the Sahrawi people with Algerian support.

Although ceasefires in the 1990s reduced fighting, the promised UN referendum letting Sahrawis choose independence or Moroccan control never happened due to disputes over voter eligibility.

Morocco’s Diplomatic Efforts

Morocco left the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) in 1984 after Western Sahara was recognized as the independent Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR). It rejoined the African Union in 2017 and has since pushed for international recognition of its sovereignty. Countries backing Morocco include the US, UK, Spain, France, Germany, and the Netherlands.

The UN-backed autonomy plan strengthens Morocco’s claim over Western Sahara and could help bring long-term stability to the region.