Calls for the United Kingdom to formally recognize the Sahara as Moroccan territory are increasing, with not only British Members of Parliament pressing for the UK to follow the lead of many other countries, but also cabinet officials such as retired British Army officer and Middle East Adviser at the Ministry of Defense, Simon Mayall, who on Wednesday penned a report urging the UK to support Morocco’s Autonomy Plan as the only “credible, lasting, realistic and constructive solution” to the Sahara conflict.
In the report published by the Royal United Services Institute for Defense and Security Studies (RUSI), the UK’s leading security and defense think tank, Mayall traced the complex history of the region, emphasizing Morocco’s historical ties to the Sahara and the region’s economic and political connections with the Sultans of Morocco, predating French and Spanish colonization.
It was only when the Madrid Accords of 1975 heralded the end of Spanish rule that the Polisario Front, a “separatist movement” backed by Algeria, was born.
Despite years of effort, the United Nations Mission in Sahara (MINURSO) encountered difficulty in executing a decision due to the nomadic lifestyle of the Saharan population. In response to international requests for development, Morocco presented its Autonomy Plan in 2007.
Morocco’s Autonomy Plan remains, after many years, according to Mayall, “the only realistic, credible, forward-looking plan for the region on the table.” The plan proposes that Sahrawis govern themselves under Moroccan sovereignty, with the exception of certain areas, namely defense and international affairs.
The plan aligns with Morocco’s internal political structure under which power has been decentralized to regional authorities and as such contributes to the security, stability, and prosperity of the entire region, wrote Mayall.
He described the plan as “anchored in a commitment to a promising political and economic future, respecting the rule of law, democratic procedures, and sustained development.”
The paper also underscores Morocco’s commitment to the Sahara region, backed by significant investments, economic development, and job creation.
Noting that “key UK allies including France, Germany, Spain, the Netherlands, and the US have expressed their support for Morocco’s Autonomy Plan,” Mayall characterized it as “the best way to bring a future of peace and prosperity to the population and an end to the dispute.”
The writer added that Arab, African, and Caribbean countries share a common position, with many having opened consulates in the south of Morocco, indicating that not only Western countries have followed suit.
Responding to arguments opposing the plan, the UK Ministry of Defense Advisor said that the opponents of the Moroccan Plan “appear to have questionable motives.” He challenged opponents to propose a realistic alternative, taking into account the humanitarian costs and security concerns involved with the ongoing conflict.
The report described the dire conditions faced by the large refugee population “across the border in Algeria, where they live in squalid conditions, deprived of a future and powerless to effect change” and dependent on international humanitarian aid, urging the implementation of the Autonomy Plan to further the prospects of employment and prosperity.
Mayall called for implementation of the Autonomy Plan to resolve the “frozen conflict” in the region, especially given the close relationship and common interests of the UK and the Kingdom of Morocco.