Morocco Declares ‘Unity Day’ Holiday to Mark UN Support for Western Sahara Autonomy

Morocco has declared 31 October a national holiday, known as Unity Day, to commemorate the UN Security Council’s approval of a resolution supporting its autonomy plan for the disputed Western Sahara region.

The holiday celebrated Morocco’s “national unity and territorial integrity,” following the UN’s endorsement of autonomy under Moroccan sovereignty as the most feasible solution to the decades-long conflict.

The U.S.-sponsored resolution, backed by 11 countries, also renewed the mandate of the UN peacekeeping force, Minurso, while Russia, China, and Pakistan abstained, and Algeria opposed it. Western Sahara, a phosphate-rich desert once under Spanish rule, was annexed by Morocco in 1975 but remains partly controlled by the Algeria-backed Polisario Front, which seeks full independence for the Sahrawi people.

Despite ceasefires since the 1990s and UN peacekeeping efforts since 1991, the long-promised referendum on independence never occurred.

While the African Union recognizes Western Sahara’s independence, Morocco, having rejoined the AU in 2017 after leaving its predecessor in 1984, continued to pursue diplomatic efforts to secure international recognition of its sovereignty.

By Allafrica