It’s the light at the end of the tunnel for the European Commission’s process of revising agreements with Morocco. On the question of products from Western Sahara, the Twenty-Seven are on the verge of conceding to the Kingdom’s terms. Here’s why.
The Polisario Front and its ally Algeria continue to cling to the 1974 Spanish census as the sole basis for holding a self-determination referendum in Western Sahara, overlooking the major shifts that have since occurred within the United Nations framework. For years, UN Security Council resolutions have made no reference to the settlement plan based on this census, instead calling for a realistic, practical, and mutually acceptable political solution. But what’s the story behind this
Algeria officially opened its territory to «Sahrawi refugees» fleeing «Moroccan occupation» only after the Green March. But this narrative is challenged by historical facts, documented by the United Nations. It’s time to revisit a forgotten chapter of the Western Sahara conflict.
As Staffan de Mistura prepares to relaunch consultations on Western Sahara, the Polisario Front is once again demanding a referendum on self-determination. However, this option was dismissed by the UN over two decades ago, following a voter identification process plagued by disagreements.