By Lesedi Sibiya-Diplomatic Insider 

The security council of the United Nations (UN) have recently approved a United States backed resolution, to Morocco’s claim over the Western Sahara. 

A vote was taken this past Friday and despite division in the votes there is strong encouragement and endorsement over Morocco’s sovereignty over that territory, which is also backed by the European Union (EU), the United States as well as various African allies. 

The resolution serves as a basis for negotiation from Morocco as the country does not wish to infringe on independence, a notion which that is favoured by Polisario Front backed by Algeria.

The Western Sahara, which is the coastal desert size of Colorado, was formerly under Spanish rule until 1975. The Western Sahara desert is claimed by the state of Morocco in tandem with the separatist Polisario Front which operates from refugee camps in South-Western Algeria.

The resolution had 11 countries in its favour with countries such as Russia, China and Pakistan in abstaining from voting and Algeria refusing to participate. “It is below, below, I say, of the expectations and the legitimate aspirations of the people of the Western Sahara, represented by the Polisario Front,” said Amar Bendjama Algerian Ambassador to the UN who believes that although the resolution shows significant improvements from previous versions, still has some points of concern. 

This measure will also renew the peace keeping initiative of the United Nations in the Western Sahara for another year, as previous extensions did not include the interests of Morocco and its allies.  

In reaction to this resolution, The Polisario have said that they will not participate in any process sparking a controversy like their unilateral decision in 2020 to violate the seize fire.

It is worth mentioning that uMkhonto weSizwe party (MK) leader Jacob Zuma has endorsed, June 2025, the Moroccan Autonomy proposal as a solution to this conflict way ahead of the adoption of this resolution.

 “Western Sahara was a part of Morocco before Spanish colonization in the late 19th Century…the Moroccan claim predates colonization and is rooted in tribal allegiance to the Moroccan throne,” said a document from the MK Party. This opposed the stance taken by the African National Congress (ANC) which has offered undying support for Polisario.