The United Nations' envoy to Western Sahara, Staffan de Mistura, has put forth a proposal to divide the region between Morocco and the Polisario Front, which wants independence. Announced during a closed meeting of the UN Security Council, the proposal aims to address the persistent conflict by establishing an independent state in the south and integrating the rest with Morocco, potentially with recognized sovereignty. However, reactions from the involved parties show limited enthusiasm, as both Morocco and Polisario remain firm on their respective conditions: Morocco demands undisputed sovereignty, while Polisario insists on a referendum for self-determination.
Historically, the idea of partition is not new, with previous proposals like the one by former envoy James Baker over two decades ago. Despite ongoing efforts, the UN's attempts to mediate the longstanding dispute have seen little success, with an existing ceasefire established in 1991 now appearing fragile. De Mistura recognizes the complexity of the situation, noting international interest in the latest proposal but acknowledging its limited traction, as evident by the lack of official responses from Moroccan and Polisario representatives.
Since the 1970s, Western Sahara has been a contentious region, regarded as a "non-self-governing" territory by the UN since 1963, when it was a colony of Spain. Despite the stalled peace process and recent withdrawal by Polisario from the ceasefire agreement, key international players such as the US, France, and Spain continue to endorse Morocco's 2006 autonomy plan. Meanwhile, De Mistura remains committed to pursuing diplomatic progress over the next six months, even as the continuing impasse raises questions about the UN's future role in resolving the conflict. (This story was generated by Newser's AI chatbot. Source: the AP)
,
uBlock 
,
and
Ghostery 
)
