Morocco ends UN Sahara wait after veto
Rabat will no longer await Security Council resolutions on the Sahara dispute, experts say.
Morocco will stop waiting for new United Nations Security Council resolutions on the Sahara dispute following a diplomatic deadlock on Friday. Experts state that Russia's veto did not alter the framework set by Resolution 2797, which established Morocco's autonomy proposal as the negotiation basis. The Royal Cabinet's October 30 statement marked a decisive shift in Rabat’s approach, moving away from decades of reliance on the Council's periodic reviews.
The deadlock occurred when Russia vetoed an American draft aimed at making Morocco's autonomy plan the sole negotiation basis and restructuring the UN mission, MINURSO. A competing Russian proposal to extend MINURSO's mandate for one year failed to pass. Abdelfattah Belamchi, president of the Moroccan Center for Parallel Diplomacy, said Morocco's decision means it will not await further UN decisions. He noted that the kingdom could seek to terminate MINURSO's role and maintain security over its southern provinces.
Professor of international law Driss Lekrini stated that the Russian veto could not invalidate Resolution 2797, which recognized genuine autonomy as a feasible outcome. He argued that the Council's failure to adopt either proposal highlights its inability to advance the dispute. Lekrini believes Morocco's case is strengthened for removing the issue from the Council's agenda as international support for its autonomy initiative grows.
Why it mattersMorocco's government has decided to stop waiting for UN Security Council resolutions on the Sahara, potentially altering its approach to the long-standing dispute.