Morocco Rejects Algeria’s “Desperate” Western Sahara Partition Proposal
The long-standing dispute over the Western Sahara continues, with Morocco firmly rejecting Algeria’s latest proposal to partition the territory. Omar Hilale, Morocco’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, recently denounced the suggestion, labeling it a recycled and failing strategy emanating from Algiers.
Hilale’s comments followed a closed-door UN Security Council consultation on October 16, 2024, where the idea of partitioning Western Sahara was reportedly raised. He argued that neither former UN envoy James Baker nor current envoy Staffan de Mistura originated the partition concept. Instead, he pointed to Algeria as the driving force behind the proposal.
According to Hilale, the partition idea was first floated by former Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika during a 2001 meeting with James Baker in Houston. This assertion is supported by subsequent correspondence from Abdallah Baali, Algeria’s then-representative to the UN, in a letter to the Security Council President dated July 22, 2002. Hilale highlighted the reappearance of this proposal during de Mistura’s visit to Algeria earlier in 2024, suggesting a pattern of Algerian maneuvering.
Why resurrect this strategy now? Hilale argues that Algeria resorts to the partition proposal whenever it finds itself on the defensive diplomatically. He links the 2001 proposal to the UN Secretary-General’s report declaring the unfeasibility of a referendum on self-determination, a plan Algeria had long championed. This report, coupled with Baker’s framework agreement in June 2001, put Algeria in a difficult position. The partition proposal, Hilale suggests, was an attempt to deflect attention from these setbacks.
Fast forward to 2024, and Hilale believes Algeria is again feeling the pressure. Recent UN Security Council resolutions have urged Algeria’s participation in roundtable discussions, while increasing international support for Morocco’s autonomy plan, including recognition from the United States and France, further isolates Algeria’s position. The growing number of consulates opened in Laayoune and Dakhla (nearly 30) by various countries further solidifies international recognition of Moroccan sovereignty. In this context, Hilale views the re-emergence of the partition proposal as a desperate attempt by Algeria to escape its increasing diplomatic isolation.
Morocco’s response to the partition proposal has been unequivocal. Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita has firmly stated that Morocco’s sovereignty over Western Sahara and its territorial integrity are not negotiable. This stance aligns with Morocco’s long-held position and reinforces its commitment to finding a solution within the framework of its autonomy initiative. The autonomy plan,
