Morocco Pledges Ceasefire Commitment as UN Western Sahara Mission Ends
Morocco has reaffirmed its commitment to the Western Sahara ceasefire following the conclusion of the 35-year-old UN peacekeeping mission in the territory, after the Security Council declined to renew its mandate last week. The Royal Palace confirmed the position following a meeting chaired by King Mohammed VI, stating that Morocco's "voluntary commitment" to the ceasefire would remain unchanged despite the removal of international monitoring.
The development marks a significant shift in the long-running dispute between Morocco, which controls the majority of Western Sahara including all urban centres and its coastline, and the Algeria-backed Polisario Front, which has sought an independent state in the territory since Spain's withdrawal in 1976. Morocco welcomed the end of the UN mission, while the Polisario expressed concern and Algeria voiced "deep regret." Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita indicated that Rabat's next move would be to seek the removal of Western Sahara from the UN's decolonisation committee, citing the support of two-thirds of UN member states. The political situation in the region is one that the African tourism industry continues to monitor closely, given its implications for travel, investment and regional stability across North.
Source: Reuters
