Hakim Boughrara to Dzair Tube: French Government’s Decision on Western Sahara Was Predictable
✏️ By: Dr. Hana Saada
Algiers, Algeria | July 26th, 2024 — Political analyst Hakim Boughrara, in an interview with Dzair Tube, characterized France’s recent endorsement of Morocco’s autonomy proposal for Western Sahara as unsurprising, attributing it to the historically dubious relations between France and Morocco.
Boughrara contended that the French government’s stance on the Western Sahara issue appears to be a strategic maneuver designed to provoke Algeria, divert attention from France’s domestic issues, and assert influence over the region. He highlighted that France is currently facing significant political turbulence, suggesting that its endorsement of Morocco’s autonomy proposal reflects a weakened geopolitical position and an alignment with Moroccan King Mohammed VI’s influence over French foreign policy.
Criticizing the French government’s actions, Boughrara described them as indicative of France’s political decline. He argued that France’s provocative approach towards Algeria and its disregard for international legitimacy are desperate attempts to address its internal crises. Boughrara predicted that this decision might eventually rally French public opinion against the policy and could increase global support for Sahrawi rights.
In summary, Boughrara sees France’s decision as part of a broader pattern of political maneuvering that undermines both international legitimacy and the Sahrawi cause.
Algeria Condemns France’s Endorsement of Moroccan Autonomy Plan for Western Sahara: Calls for Accountability and Criticizes Timing and Impact
In a recent development, the French government’s endorsement of Morocco’s autonomy proposal for Western Sahara has sparked a strong condemnation from Algeria. The Algerian government has denounced France’s support for the autonomy plan as “unexpected, untimely, and counterproductive,” and has indicated its intention to “draw all necessary consequences” from this stance.
The Algerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has formally expressed profound regret and disapproval over France’s backing of Morocco’s autonomy proposal, which is framed within Moroccan sovereignty. This endorsement, recently communicated to Algerian officials, has been criticized for reflecting “dubious political calculations, morally questionable assumptions, and unsupported legal interpretations.”
According to the Algerian ministry, France’s support does not contribute to a peaceful resolution of the Western Sahara conflict but rather exacerbates the deadlock by backing Morocco’s longstanding autonomy plan, which has been in place for over seventeen years. The ministry highlighted that the Western Sahara issue is widely recognized internationally as a matter of decolonization. France’s position, it argued, distorts this process by legitimizing a colonial fait accompli and supporting Morocco’s contested sovereignty over the territory.
The statement from Algeria also criticized the timing of France’s decision, noting that it comes from a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council. The Algerian government contended that France’s stance diverges from the council’s resolutions and international legal standards, which should ideally facilitate the search for a resolution to the Western Sahara conflict.
Furthermore, the Algerian government asserted that France’s decision undermines ongoing United Nations efforts to resolve the Western Sahara conflict, hindering progress toward regional peace, stability, and security. In conclusion, Algeria has reiterated its commitment to holding France accountable for the consequences of its decision and its impact on the conflict.
A Snapshot of Western Sahara Cause: History, Current Challenges
The Western Sahara conflict is fundamentally a question of decolonization, as defined by United Nations General Assembly Resolution 1514. Adopted in December 1960, this resolution mandates the rapid and unconditional termination of colonialism in all its forms and asserts the right of all peoples to self-determination.
Western Sahara on the UN List of Non-Self-Governing Territories
Since 1963, Western Sahara has been classified by the United Nations as a non-self-governing territory. This issue falls under the Fourth Committee of the UN General Assembly, also known as the Committee on Decolonization, which upholds the inalienable right of self-determination for the inhabitants of such territories.
International Support for a Referendum
The UN, African Union (AU), and European Union (EU) advocate for a referendum to determine the future status of Western Sahara, the last colony in Africa. The Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR), which is recognized by 80 countries, has been a member of the AU since 1982 and a founding member of the OAU upon its establishment in 2002. Morocco, on the other hand, withdrew from the Organization of African Unity (OAU) in 1982 but rejoined the AU in 2017.
Historical Context and Current Challenges
In 1975, Spain, the former colonial power, withdrew from Western Sahara and transferred control to Morocco and Mauritania under the Madrid Accords of November 14, 1975. These accords were not recognized by the UN and faced opposition from the Polisario Front, which had been resisting both Spanish and Moroccan rule. Mauritania withdrew from its portion of Western Sahara in 1979.
Obstacles to a Referendum
The Polisario Front continued its armed resistance against Moroccan occupation until a ceasefire agreement was negotiated by the UN and AU in 1991. Despite the establishment of the UN Mission for the Organization of a Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO), the referendum has not been organized due to persistent Moroccan obstructions. Moroccan occupation forces have continued to violate the rights of the Sahrawi people, obstructing the process of self-determination.
Violation of the 1991 Ceasefire
On November 13, 2020, the Polisario Front was compelled to resume armed action following Moroccan forces’ attack on unarmed Sahrawi protesters in the El Guerguerat buffer zone. This breach of the 1991 ceasefire agreement led the Sahrawi leadership to announce the resumption of armed struggle against the occupying forces, which have ignored international legal standards.
Rejection of the so-called “Moroccan Autonomy Plan”
Morocco’s proposed autonomy plan is firmly rejected by the Sahrawi people, who assert their right to self-determination as guaranteed by the UN Charter. The recent endorsement of the Moroccan plan by France further complicates the situation. Spain’s failure to uphold its historical role as the administering power, as recognized by the UN, has been a significant setback in the quest for a just resolution to the conflict.
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