In a significant development in the long-standing Western Sahara conflict, the Polisario Front independence movement has stated it is prepared to accept Morocco’s autonomy proposal, but only if the plan is put to a referendum that includes the option of full independence.
The announcement came from the Polisario Front’s chief diplomat, Muhammad Islamat, who revealed that an expanded proposal has been presented to the United Nations. According to Islamat, this proposal includes three options for the Sahrawi people to decide upon: independence, integration with Morocco, or a pact of free association.
This conditional acceptance introduces a new dynamic into the diplomatic efforts to resolve the 50-year dispute over the territory. The statement arrives as the United Nations Security Council prepares to review a new resolution on the region’s fate next Friday. There is increasing international pressure to find a lasting solution to the conflict.
The Polisario Front’s position underscores its foundational belief that the Sahrawi people possess the right to self-determination. The Algeria-backed group, which controls land along the eastern border of the territory, has long argued that any solution must be validated by the local population.
However, the Polisario’s conditional support stands in contrast to growing international sentiment. A rising number of African, Arab, and Western nations have recently tilted towards backing Morocco’s plan for the autonomy of the disputed region under the kingdom’s sovereignty.
The conflict over Western Sahara dates back to 1975, when the former Spanish colony was annexed by Morocco. Since then, Rabat has administered the majority of the territory, which it considers an integral part of its kingdom. The Polisario Front disputes this and has sought an independent state for the Sahrawi people.
The upcoming UN Security Council meeting will now consider this latest proposal amid the complex and entrenched positions of the involved parties.
