Morocco celebrates 51st anniversary of Western Sahara takeover as UN mission ends
Morocco commemorates the Green March, which paved the way for its takeover of most of the disputed former Spanish colony
The collapse of the UN mission monitoring the Western Sahara conflict has raised fears that the decades-old dispute could erupt into open warfare. The UN Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) ended this month after Russia and the United States vetoed each other's attempts to extend its mandate. Polisario Front leader Mohamed Beisat told MEE that the group remains hopeful, but the failure of diplomacy could prove costly.
The Polisario's preferred solution, the autonomous plan proposed by Morocco in 2007, has been rejected by the independence movement. Beisat warned that without UN oversight, the risk of military escalation increases, potentially dragging in other North African powers. He criticized the United States and Europe for prioritizing their relationship with Morocco over regional stability, saying the alternative to diplomacy is war.
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