UN Endorsement of Morocco's Western Sahara Autonomy Plan Raises Hopes — and Concerns

Laayoune, Western Sahara — The UN Security Council's endorsement of Morocco's long‑standing autonomy proposal for Western Sahara has renewed local hopes for accelerated development and an end to a decades‑old territorial dispute. Residents and tribal leaders say the move could bring investment, infrastructure and the return of refugees, while critics warn it could also curtail freedoms and inflame local competition for power.

Background

Spain withdrew from Western Sahara in 1975, triggering competing claims by Morocco and the Polisario Front, which was formed in 1973 and backed by Algeria. Fighting and displacement followed; tens of thousands of Sahrawis fled to refugee camps near Tindouf in western Algeria. The Polisario still insists on a UN referendum on self‑determination — a vote promised in the 1991 ceasefire that has never been held.

Local reactions

In Laayoune, the region's largest city about 20 kilometres from the Atlantic, modern apartment blocks, busy cafés and visible public investment project an image of growth and relative stability. Several Sahrawi tribal leaders interviewed by AFP voiced support for Morocco's autonomy plan.

Abdallah Salhi said autonomy would mean "living off our resources and having elected officials, a parliament and a government that manages this region."

Another tribal leader, Abdelatif Baira, said the proposal could allow "our brothers and sisters" to return from camps near Tindouf, home to roughly 175,000 Sahrawi refugees, and called the separation of families "unbearable." Dressed in a traditional daraa gown, Baira recalled that the territory was "empty" and lacking infrastructure when Spain left, and credited recent Moroccan investment with building universities, hospitals, an airport, roads and schools.

Economic prospects

Western Sahara is rich in phosphates and home to lucrative fishing grounds. Morocco's 2024 census records more than 600,000 people in the territory, although it does not distinguish native Sahrawis from those who moved in from other parts of Morocco. Local entrepreneurs say clarity on status could attract foreign investment long deterred by the dispute.

Moulay Ibrahim Taleb Ali, who runs a cooperative producing the traditional daraa garment, said the UN move could stimulate the local economy and open new markets for women artisans and small businesses.

Concerns and political hurdles

Not everyone supports autonomy under Moroccan administration. Some residents fear restrictions on civil liberties and political participation. Ajwad, a 45‑year‑old business owner who requested anonymity, warned that a transition to local self‑rule under Morocco could spark rivalries over positions and greater scrutiny — including the enforcement of taxes many local businesses have so far avoided.

"Some Sahrawis don't want autonomy because it might impose restrictions on their freedoms," he said. "In a future local government, the question of who will hold which position is likely to fuel rivalries."

The diplomatic context and next steps

On October 31, the Security Council endorsed Morocco's autonomy plan, saying that "genuine autonomy could represent a most feasible outcome". That vote was advanced by the administration of former US President Donald Trump. The resolution asks Morocco to update its proposal as part of efforts to reach a "final mutually acceptable solution." The Polisario continues to insist on a UN‑supervised referendum on self‑determination, and Algeria remains a key regional actor and supporter of the Polisario, keeping the dispute geopolitically sensitive.

Who will decide next? Diplomats must now press both sides to engage in talks to refine proposals and address core issues: citizenship, political participation, resource management, refugee return and guarantees for civil liberties. How Morocco updates its autonomy plan and whether the Polisario will accept negotiations rather than a referendum will determine whether the UN endorsement leads to lasting change.