The United Nations envoy for Western Sahara, Staffan de Mistura, has proposed partitioning the disputed territory between Morocco and the pro-independence Polisario Front.
In a closed session of the UN Security Council on Wednesday, de Mistura disclosed that he had discreetly revisited and expanded with all concerned on the concept of a partition of the Territory.
Western Sahara, primarily controlled by Morocco, has been the focus of a long-standing independence campaign by the Polisario Front, which has the backing of Algeria. The region has remained disputed since Spain withdrew in 1975, and the UN recognises it as a non-autonomous territory.
Morocco currently controls about 80 percent of the area and has proposed limited autonomy for the territory under Moroccan sovereignty. In contrast, the Polisario Front demands a UN-organised referendum on self-determination, a promise made during a 1991 ceasefire but never fulfilled.
De Mistura, who has served as the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’ envoy for Western Sahara for the past three years, suggested that a partition could lead to the creation of an independent state in the southern part while integrating the rest under Moroccan sovereignty with international recognition.
However, he admitted there was no sign of willingness to consider exploring it further from Morocco or Frente POLISARIO.
The Polisario Front criticised the proposal, claiming it does not uphold the right of the Sahrawi people to self-determination. Sidi Omar, the Polisario’s representative to the UN, stated on X (formerly Twitter) that the movement strongly affirms its total and categorical rejection of any ‘proposals’ or ‘initiatives’.