Polisario Rejects UK Support for Morocco’s Sahara Autonomy Plan

The "Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic" (SADR) "clearly states that it does not recognize any sovereignty of Morocco, the occupying state, over Western Sahara," and that "no international organization" recognizes the kingdom’s sovereignty over this territory. In a statement from its Ministry of Foreign Affairs, it says it regrets that the United Kingdom, as a "permanent member of the Security Council (of the UN)," has given its support to the Moroccan proposal, "distancing itself from its position on Western Sahara, a decolonization issue on the UN agenda since 1963."

"The only practical, reasonable and compromise-based solution is the UN-African Union (AU) settlement plan, accepted by both parties in 1988 and unanimously approved by the Security Council in 1990 and 1991," states the communiqué reported by the SPS news agency, emphasizing that "the ’proposal’ propagated by Morocco is a deception and a colonialist maneuver aimed at ’legitimizing’ the illegal occupation of Western Sahara and depriving its people of their inalienable right to self-determination and independence."

The Polisario believes that Morocco’s autonomy plan for the Sahara is "incompatible" with the UN-led process, specifying that this proposal "only provokes the occupying state to maintain its intransigence, the underlying cause of the blockage in the UN peace process." The Sahrawi independence movement also reminded "all actors truly concerned about stability in North Africa" that "lasting peace cannot be achieved by rewarding expansionism and annexation of territories by force."

The SADR remains hopeful that the United Kingdom "will use its influence to advance a meaningful UN-led peace process that will allow the Sahrawi people to exercise their right to self-determination and independence in a free and democratic manner, without military and administrative constraints." Finally, the Polisario reaffirmed its willingness to "participate positively in a UN-led peace process" and to "contribute constructively to a peaceful and lasting solution to the decolonization of Western Sahara, the last colony in Africa."

This statement comes following that of the British Foreign Minister, David Lammy, who expressed on Sunday his country’s support for Morocco’s autonomy plan for the Sahara, which he considers "the most credible, viable and pragmatic basis for settling the dispute" over this territory. Before London, the United States, France, Spain, Germany and Israel recognized Morocco’s sovereignty over the Sahara. Who’s Next?