Algeria rejects attempts to predetermine Western Sahara sovereignty
Algiers insists Sahrawi self-determination must guide negotiations as United Nations Security Council prepares expected resolution on disputed territory
ALGIERS, Algeria (MNTV) — Algeria has warned against any attempt to grant Morocco sovereignty over Western Sahara ahead of an expected United Nations Security Council resolution on the disputed territory later this month.
According to Yabiladi, Algeria’s permanent representative to the United Nations, Amar Bendjama, delivered the warning while addressing the General Assembly’s Fourth Committee in New York. He argued that no party, including the Security Council, had the right to confer sovereignty over the territory.
Bendjama reiterated Algeria’s position that Western Sahara remains an unresolved decolonization issue.
He said a lasting settlement could not be considered just if its outcome were predetermined, criticizing efforts that would make Morocco’s autonomy proposal both the starting point and the final destination of negotiations.
The Security Council has described Morocco’s autonomy proposal as a basis for negotiations, while the dispute remains unresolved. Morocco maintains that its sovereignty over the territory should be recognized, whereas the Polisario Front advocates Sahrawi self-determination and independence.
Bendjama also criticized what he characterized as pressure on Sahrawis to abandon their aspirations for freedom and dignity in the name of political pragmatism.
He linked the current dispute to the 2020 agreement involving Morocco, the United States and Israel, which included Washington’s recognition of Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara.
The Algerian representative also called for continued international assistance and protection for Sahrawi refugees living in camps around Tindouf, Algeria.
He said their status and access to humanitarian support should be maintained until a just and lasting political settlement is reached.
His remarks come amid continuing disagreement over refugee registration and the role of international institutions.
Algeria has opposed an official census or comprehensive individual registration of the camps’ population by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, a matter that remains relevant to assessing humanitarian needs.
Bendjama further warned against using shortages of food or humanitarian assistance to pressure refugees into accepting a political settlement.
The dispute continues to test regional relations, while the anticipated Security Council decision is expected to influence the diplomatic debate over Western Sahara’s future.
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