France Reaffirms Support for Autonomy Plan

Pascal Canfin, France's development minister, repeated France's support for Morocco's autonomy plan in order to solve the Western Sahara dispute. While on a visit to Rabat, Canfin stated that France desired the situation to be resolved diplomatically and under United Nations guidelines. Read More.

Morocco Loses Confidence in UN Envoy

The government of Morocco released a statement stating it would “withdraw its confidence” in the UN’s Western Sahara Envoy, Christopher Ross. Along with blasting a recent UN report which said Morocco was spying on the UN’s forces in the region, the statement alleged that Ross was giving “biased” advice. Rabat also showed frustration with the negotiation process, saying it had produced no results. Read More

UN Begins Family Visit Program in Western Sahra

As part of the Confidence-Building Measures between the UNHCR, Polisario, Morocco, Algeria, Mauritania, the UNHCR started its family-visit program by flying 150 people from Western Sahara to camps in Tindouf. The program aims to let long-separated families to visit each other for five days. With up to 6000 people expected to take part in the program, a Boeing 737 is being used to shuttle family members between the two locations. Read More

French Foreign Minsiter Endorses Autonomy Plan

French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe stated last week that Morocco’s autonomy plan was the most “realistic” solution at ending the dispute in Western Sahara. Juppe, who made his remarks at the beginning of an official visit to Morocco, said that the process must still go through the United Nations. Juppe further said that the dispute should not hinder the recent thaw in relations between Algeria and Morocco. Read More.

Algerian President Upset at Clinton’s Remarks

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton commended Morocco’s autonomy plan, prompting Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika to comment that the people of Western Sahara should vote on whether to accept the plan or to gain independence. He also stated his wish that UN talks begin recommence. Read More.

Polisario Angered at EU Fishing Mandate

The Polisario Front reacted harshly to a February 3rd decision by the European Commission to negotiate a new fishing agreement with Morocco. Polisario’s Europe representative, Mohamed Sidati, stated that the agreement clashes with the European Parliament’s rejection of a similar agreement last December. Sidati said that the Polisario’s involvement was necessary in the negotiating process in order to not violate international law. Read More.

Moroccan Foreign Minister Visits Algeria

Moroccan Foreign Minister Sadd Eddine Othmani visited Algeria last week, marking the first time since 2003 that a Moroccan foreign minister has visited the country. The trip aims to address the Western Sahara conflict, which has caused tensions between Morocco and the Polisario, which is backed by Algeria. The Foreign Minister will also be discussing putting in renewed effort into the Arab Maghreb Union. Read More.

The government of Algeria has authorized the temporary opening of the Zouj Bghal border crossing between its country and Morocco. The day-long opening opening came in a response to a Moroccan request so cyclists could compete in a tour. The borders had been closed between the two nations since 1994, with Algeria stating that any agreement to open them must include a solution to the conflict in Western Sahara. Read More.

US Includes Western Sahara in Moroccan Assistance

President Obama signed a bill authorizing US assistance to Morocco to be used in any region administered by Morocco. The bill, approved by both houses of Congress, supported the autonomy plan put forth by Morocco. This is the first time that US assistance to Morocco may be used in Western Sahara. Read More

Opinion: World Community Ignoring Refugees In Algeria

Joseph K. Grieboski, founder of the Institute of Religion and Public Policy, writes that the international community has forgotten the plight faced by refugees in Algerian and Polisario-run camps. However, with the recent kidnappings of Spanish aid-workers, the world is now showing concern for the situation in these camps. Grieboski points out that Algeria, in which the camps are located, has been silent regarding the kidnappings and must address the kidnappings and the Western Sahara issue at-large. Read More

Question of the Day: What more can be done to bring light upon the situation in the refugee Camps?


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Morocco Dealing With Lone-Wolf Terrorism

Morocco’s counter-terrorism measures have made it difficult for Al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) to gain a foothold in the country. However, Morocco continues to suffer from lone-wolf operators who operate outside the structure of the larger terrorist network. Though the Algerian-backed Polisario and AQIM are unlikely to work together because of Algeria’s opposition to Al-Qaida, Morocco’s primary source of trouble may be the Western Sahara. Analysts warn that its inhabitants’ anger with the Moroccan government may lead to youth being drawn to violence. Read More



Question of the Day: What can Morocco do to prevent Western Sahara from becoming a source of trouble?

Sentences Handed Out for Soccer Riots

Eleven people were convicted for their role in riots that killed seven people during a soccer game. The riot occurred in the Western Saharan city of Dakhla, after rival groups, which reportedly also included Sahrawi activists, and left two policeman among the dead. The sentences have ranged from eight months to a year. Read More

Morocco Reaffirms Committment to Finding Western Sahara Solution

Moroccan Foreign Minister Taïb Fassi Fihri told the UN Tuesday that his nation was ready to intensify negotiations in order to resolve the Western Sahara conflict. Fihri underscored the importance of finding a solution in light of the Arab Spring. In addition, Fihri stated that Morocco had been working hard to increase contacts with Algeria in order to improve relations between the two countries. Read More

Fatalities After Western Sahara Soccer Game

Seven people, two of which were policeman, were killed after a soccer game in the city of Dakhla, Western Sahara on Sunday. Initial reports show that along with multiple stores being torched, at least 20 people were injured. The interior minister of Morocco ordered an investigation into the incident. Read More

US Anaylsts: Polisario Increasing Drug Trade Efforts

According to US analysts, the Polisario has expanded its drug trafficking efforts in Northern Africa. This has led to the Polisario dividing into warring divisions, with the last month seeing opposing Polisario factions fighting on the Mali-Algeria border. One analyst stated that the Polisario, an Algerian-supported Western Sahara group, has teamed up with Al Qaida in the drug and weapons trade. Read More

New "Morocco Caucus" Formed in Congress

Leaders of Congress unveiled the formation of a "Congressional Morocco Caucus" last week. The bipartisan group is tasked with "deepening the economic and strategic relationship between the United States and Morocco". A letter sent from the group to fellow House members highlighted the importance of Morocco's alliance and praised Morocco's recent constitutional referendum in response to the Arab Spring. Members also worried that the continuing dispute in the Western Sahara was distracting from issues such as anti-terrorism and dealing with the regional unrest. Read More

Question of the Day: Does the formation of the Caucus represent a step-forward on the Western Sahara issue that will produce actual results?

The Autonomy Plan- For the Win

It’s a question that hounds people around the world: how do you reconcile the legitimate territorial rights of a sovereign nation to the equally legitimate aspirations of a local populace to self-determination? At first glance, these ideas may seem very much mutually exclusive. However, King Muhammad VI of Morocco may just have created a solution that satisfies both principles.

The area of conflict is the Western Sahara, which has lived essentially in limbo since the departure of its Spanish colonial overlord in 1975. Authority passed to joint rule by Morocco and Mauretania. Violence soon broke out though, and in the late 1970’s the Mauritanian government threw in the towel and gave up any claims in favor of the POLISARIO rebels. Morocco stayed though, backed by internationally recognized land claims that went back, depending on who was asked, at least decades.

On the other hand, there are of course people who live in the Western Sahara. These people, by any and all standards, deserve proper government and basic civil liberties. The UN recognizes this fact, but more importantly the Moroccan government recognizes this. This led King Muhammad VI, after the failure of numerous rounds of talks with the POLISARIO front, to take the initiative and create his own autonomy plan. It is a plan that Secretary of State Hilary Clinton called, “serious, realistic and credible, a potential approach to satisfy the aspirations of the people in the Western Sahara to run their own affairs in peace and dignity.”

The autonomy plan is effective in reconciling the two outlying causes of the conflict over the Western Sahara. It recognizes Morocco’s sovereignty over the Western Sahara, while allowing for serious local governance by the people of the region. It is a credible plan, and, as constitutional law professor Benoit Pelletier of Ottawa University said, “in conformity with international norms in force.”

Such an approach, as balanced as it is, is simply in line with the reforms and progress King Muhammad VI has made since his ascension to the throne 12 years ago.

The American Task Force on Western Sahara sees this as a truly viable solution to the conflict, which is why ATFWS so heartily supports it. The autonomy plan is a reasonable way to end one conflict on a conflict-plagued continent.

What do you think? Is it a framework for peace or a farce? Join the debate!

-By the Editors

Deadly Unexploded Munitions Destroyed in Western Sahara

August saw over 7,000 Unexploded Ordinances (grenades, artillery projectiles, and bombs) destroyed in the Western Sahara. Though the exact number of these live munitions, which are spread all across the Western Sahara, is unknown, there have been thousands of casualties that have resulted due to civilians coming upon these explosives. MINURSO conducted the destruction of the munitions across 433 sites across the Western Sahara. Read More

Polisario Fighters Captured in Libya

An official in the National Transitional Council (NTC), Libya's official rebel organization, announced that over 550 fighters from the Polisario Front were detained near the town of Zawiyah.. The official stated that documents from recovered from the Algerian Embassy in Tripoli show that the fighters entered Libya with support of Algiers. The fighters, fighting as mercenaries for Moammar Ghadaffi, were also supported by some Algerian troops, the official claimed. Read More

Question of the Day: If substantiated, why would the Polisario agree to fight for Ghadaffi?

Chile Calls Autonomy Plan "Interesting"

During a visit to Rabat to discuss common legislative interests between the two countries, the President of Chile's Senate, Guido Gilardi, called Morocco's autonomy plan "interesting". Gilardi expressed Chile's support for the United Nations to resolve the long-standing Western Sahara conflict. In addition, he praised Morocco's recent democratic initiatives. Read More

QUESTION OF THE DAY: How do you interpret the Senate President's statements on the conflict?

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