(MENAFN) The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) is poised to vote on a draft resolution that endorses Morocco’s autonomy proposal for Western Sahara as the preferred political resolution to a longstanding territorial dispute that has greatly impacted the geopolitics of North Africa.

This decision comes at a time when the council will also deliberate on renewing the mandate of the UN Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) during its meeting on Friday.

MINURSO, which was established in 1991, was tasked with overseeing a ceasefire between Morocco and the Polisario Front, a Sahrawi liberation movement.

The two parties had been engaged in a brutal 16-year war over the contested region.

In addition to maintaining peace, MINURSO is also responsible for organizing a referendum to determine whether the region should seek independence or integrate with Morocco.

The history of the conflict dates back to 1975 when Morocco annexed Western Sahara after Spain ended its colonial rule. The Polisario Front has since advocated for full independence for the Sahrawi people, a stance that Morocco firmly opposes.

In April 2007, Morocco presented a plan to the UNSC in which it proposed to grant administrative, legislative, and judicial powers to local Sahrawi residents, while retaining Moroccan sovereignty over foreign policy, security, and defense.

Under this proposal, the region would continue to use the Moroccan flag and currency.

As of now, the plan has received support from three permanent UNSC members: the United Kingdom, the United States, and France.

These nations have described the proposal as the most credible solution to the nearly 50-year-long conflict. Other countries such as Belgium, Spain, Germany, and Portugal have also expressed their alignment with Morocco’s proposal.

Furthermore, Israel officially recognized Morocco’s sovereignty over Western Sahara in 2023.

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