The United Arab Emirates has welcomed a UN resolution stating that genuine autonomy for Western Sahara under Moroccan sovereignty could be the most feasible solution to Rabat's 50-year conflict with the Algeria-backed Polisario Front.

Western Sahara, a tract of desert the size of Britain, has been the scene of Africa's longest-running territorial dispute since colonial power Spain left in 1975.

Morocco considers the territory its own, while the Algeria-backed Polisario Front seeks to establish an independent state called the Sahrawi Republic.

The UN Security Council, in a US-drafted text, called for the parties to engage in negotiations based on an autonomy plan first presented by Morocco to the United Nations in 2007.

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In a statement, the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Mofa) called the UN Security Council Resolution 2797 an important step toward achieving a final and lasting political solution to this issue, in accordance with the principles of the UN Charter and relevant Security Council's resolutions.

Mofa further praised the US diplomatic efforts in drafting and putting forward the resolution, which was adopted on Friday.

Reaffirming the importance of resolving disputes through negotiation and peaceful means, the Ministry stressed UAE's solidarity with Morocco, and its full support for its legitimate rights in the Moroccan Sahara, as well as for all efforts that safeguard the security, stability, sovereignty, and territorial integrity of the Kingdom, and contribute to promoting peace, stability, and sustainable prosperity in the region.

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