Morocco’s royal palace has declared October 31 a new national holiday beginning next year, to commemorate the adoption of a United Nations Security Council resolution endorsing the country’s autonomy plan for Western Sahara.
The announcement, made Tuesday, follows the Security Council’s decision last Friday to adopt a resolution describing Morocco’s proposal for “genuine autonomy under Moroccan sovereignty” as “a most feasible” path toward ending the decades-long dispute over the territory.
The move marks a significant diplomatic victory for Rabat, which has long sought international recognition of its autonomy initiative as the final settlement to the 50-year conflict with the Algeria-backed Polisario Front.
The Polisario continues to demand full independence for Western Sahara, a sparsely populated region rich in phosphates and strategically located along the Atlantic coast.
In a statement, the royal palace said the new holiday would serve as a “symbol of national unity and reaffirmation of Morocco’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.”
Celebrations are expected to include official ceremonies and public events honoring the country’s “continued commitment to peace and regional stability.”
The UN resolution reflects growing international support for Morocco’s position, with several major powers, including the United States and France, backing the autonomy plan as a pragmatic solution.
However, Algeria and the Polisario Front have rejected the decision, calling it a setback for self-determination efforts.
Western Sahara has remained disputed since Spain withdrew in 1975, prompting Morocco’s annexation and the outbreak of conflict with the Polisario.
A UN-brokered ceasefire in 1991 ended active hostilities but left the final status unresolved.
With the new holiday, Morocco appears intent on solidifying domestic and international recognition of its claims over the region while emphasizing what officials describe as “the irreversible momentum” of its autonomy plan.
Source: Reuters
Written By Rodney Mbua
