The Western Saharan autonomy proposal and political reform in Morocco

Abstract

The conflict in Western Sahara has been simmering since 1975 and has been on the UN Security Council agenda for over twenty years. Autonomy as a solution to the Western Saharan conflict has been floating around for decades and in 2007, Morocco officially offered the territory autonomy within the borders of the Moroccan state. This proposal is supported by key international players, including France and the US, which have long-standing ties with Morocco and perceive an independent Western Sahara as a potentially weak state. Even western states sensitive to the Western Saharan cause such as Spain have shown enthusiasm for the autonomy idea which is also in line with conflict resolution practices since the end of the cold war. The idea is staunchly opposed by Polisario, (the Western Saharan independence movement), and by its allies among African states (primarily Algeria) and within Western civil society. This opposition to autonomy is founded on the principle of the right to self-determination for the Western Saharan population.