US Urges World to Back Morocco's Autonomy Plan for Western Sahara
Published
The United States is calling on other countries to move away from the long-running campaign for an independence referendum in Western Sahara. Instead, Washington wants the world to recognize Morocco's control over the disputed territory and support Morocco's plan for autonomy there.
Western Sahara is a large desert area in North Africa. Morocco controls most of the territory, but the Polisario Front, a group that wants independence, has fought for decades for a referendum that would let the local people decide their future. The issue has been unresolved for about 35 years, and the United Nations has long supported a process to find a political solution.
The US position has drawn opposition from Algeria, which supports the Polisario Front and rejects Morocco's claim to the territory. Algeria has criticized the American proposal, and the disagreement shows how divided the region remains. Supporters of Morocco's plan say that autonomy would give local people a greater role in running their own affairs while keeping the territory under Moroccan sovereignty.
The dispute has become an important part of US diplomacy in North Africa. Washington's push for a new approach shows that it wants to end the stalemate, but it is not yet clear whether other countries or the United Nations will accept the change. For now, the question of who will govern Western Sahara in the future remains open.
Sources: Business Insider Africa
More United States news
- SMX Highlights American Innovation in the Race to Advance Artificial Intelligence
- Experts Warn of Growing Security Threats from Iran-Aligned Groups After Regional War
- Fong Introduces New Bill to Strengthen the STEM Workforce Pipeline
- U.S. Ambassador to Namibia Joins Trade and Diplomacy Talks Across Three Continents
- What US Manufacturing Could Learn from China's Industrial Policy
- FBI Seizes More Than $1.2 Billion in Cryptocurrency Stolen from Binance
- Roselyn Sánchez Reflects on Hosting the Latin GRAMMYs for the 10th Time
- Darth Vader's Lightsaber from Famous Duel Sells for Nearly $5 Million