UN Envoy Proposes Partitioning Western Sahara
The United Nations envoy to Western Sahara has put forward a proposal suggesting the division of the territory between Morocco and the pro-independence Polisario Front as a potential way to finally resolve the longstanding conflict. Staffan de Mistura’s idea of partition was shared during a closed meeting of the UN Security Council, where he mentioned that it could offer a solution that satisfies both sides and provides residents with the opportunity to choose their ruling authority.
De Mistura’s proposal entails the creation of an independent state in the southern part of Western Sahara, while integrating the rest of the territory as part of Morocco with internationally recognised sovereignty. Although the concept of partition is not novel, with Mauritania having relinquished the southern portion to Polisario in 1979 before an agreement was finalized, former envoy James Baker also previously raised the idea of partition over two decades ago.
The suggestion of partition was met with interest from some involved countries, although Morocco and Polisario have not displayed willingness to explore this option further. Geographically, partition along historical lines would situate Laayoune, the largest city in the disputed territory, in the north, and Dakhla, the second-largest city, in the south. However, this proposal falls short of meeting the long-standing conditions set by both sides – Morocco’s stance against negotiating the territory’s sovereignty and Polisario’s insistence on self-determination through a referendum.
Efforts to resolve the Western Sahara conflict have been ongoing since the 1970s, with a U.N.-brokered settlement in 1991 outlining a phased peace process that included a ceasefire and the establishment of a U.N. peacekeeping mission to oversee a future referendum on the region’s status. Despite the involvement of multiple U.N. envoys preceding De Mistura, negotiations have reached a stalemate.
Notably, Polisario revoked the ceasefire in 2020, leading to sporadic hostilities. With the current diplomatic impasse, nations like the United States, France, and Spain, allies of Morocco, have shown support for the country’s autonomy plan from 2006 which falls short of offering independence to the disputed region.
While De Mistura plans to continue seeking progress for the next six months before reconvening for consultations, the lack of advancement in the negotiations prompts questions about the future direction of U.N. facilitation in resolving the Western Sahara conflict. The region, formerly a Spanish colony, has been classified by the U.N. as a “non-self-governing” territory since 1963, with Polisario representing the Sahrawi people.
As tension persists and a resolution remains elusive, the proposal for partitioning Western Sahara stands as a potential but challenging solution to a complex and enduring conflict that has spanned decades.