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- The dispute over western Sahara has taken a new turn when the Polisario Front independence movement has accused Spain for changing its earlier stand and backing Morocco in its fight for Western Africa, a disputed land.
The dispute over western Sahara has taken a new turn when the Polisario Front independence movement has accused Spain for changing its earlier stand and openly backing Morocco in its fight for Western Africa, a disputed land. Morocco wants the disputed land to be declared as an autonomy region. A former Spanish colony, the Western Sahara has rich phosphate resources. Also, it has access to Atlantic fishing waters. Morocco claims that the region is an integral part of its territory, which is disputed by separatists, who want a referendum to be conducted for people living in the disputed area to know their choice.
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The Algeria-backed Polisario separatists demand an independence referendum on the basis of a 1991 deal that included a ceasefire. The area has been fac https://trendsnafrica.com/moroccos-demand-for-lng-to-hit-3-billion-cubic-meters/ing a severe tension for long. A deal in 1991 led to cease fire and both parties decided to settle the matter through negotiations.
Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares said recently that Morocco’s 2007 proposal to offer Western Sahara autonomy was the “most serious, realistic and credible basis” to end the decades-long dispute over the vast territory. Triggering an angry response from the Polisario, political analysts are keenly observing the fallout of the statement. All along, Spain has been maintaining neutrality over the disputed land, which is a desert region almost the size of Britain. Polisario termed Spain’s change of stand as an erroneous move.
The Polisarios called on political parties in Spain to exert pressure on the Spanish government to correct this grave error. According to them, the United Nations, the African Union, the European Union, the International Court of Justice, the European Court of Justice and all regional organisations do not recognise Moroccan sovereignty over the Western Sahara. Earlier this month, the United States reiterated its support for Morocco’s plan for autonomy in the Western Sahara. The Trump administration recognised Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara. This was done as a quid pro quo for normalizing Morocco’s relations with Israel, leading to tensions with Algeria, which backed Polisarios. The Biden administration has not changed the stand taken by the Trump administration.
