Following the recent United Nations Security Council resolution on the Western Sahara issue, Ambassador Omar Hilale, Morocco’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, addressed Algeria’s renewed proposal for partition. This proposal, presented by UN Personal Envoy Staffan de Mistura during closed consultations on October 16, 2024, has sparked debate over its implications and motives.
Ambassador Hilale outlined Morocco’s position in three key points, emphasizing the context and history behind Algeria’s suggestion, which he called a “stillborn” initiative.
On the origins of the partition idea, Hilale clarified: “Neither the former Personal Envoy, James Baker, nor the current one, Staffan de Mistura, were at the origin of this idea of partition. They were only messengers of Algeria.” He highlighted that this proposal was not new, but rather one with historical roots dating back to November 2001, when the late Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika initially suggested it during a meeting with Baker in Houston.
Hilale also referenced a letter sent by former Algerian Permanent Representative Abdellah Baali to the President of the Security Council on July 22, 2002, reiterating Algeria’s partition stance. He noted that, over two decades later, Algeria again raised the partition idea, this time in discussions with de Mistura during his recent visit to Algiers.
Ambassador Hilale attributed Algeria’s recurring partition proposals to shifts in the regional and international landscape that have increasingly isolated Algeria diplomatically on this issue. He explained that “Algeria uses partition as an outlet whenever it finds itself on the diplomatic defensive, seeking to evade international pressure as the main stakeholder in this regional dispute.”
In 2001, Algeria’s partition suggestion followed the UN Secretary-General’s February 2000 report declaring the UN settlement plan unworkable and effectively ending the proposed referendum, which Algeria had supported. Furthermore, Algeria rejected a framework agreement introduced by Baker in June 2001. Hilale noted that Algeria’s partition proposal at that time aimed to deflect from its opposition to Baker’s plan and to manage the fallout from the failed settlement process.
Hilale observed that, in 2024, Algeria is once again facing diplomatic setbacks. These include successive Security Council resolutions urging Algeria to re-engage in round-table discussions, along with the diplomatic impact of the United States’ and France’s recognition of Moroccan sovereignty over the Sahara and broader international support for the Moroccan Autonomy Initiative. This support includes endorsements from nearly half of the European Union’s member states and the establishment of approximately thirty consulates in Laayoune and Dakhla. Hilale suggested that Algeria’s renewed call for partition reflects its search for an escape from diplomatic isolation.
As for Morocco’s stance on the partition proposal, Hilale cited Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita’s response: “Morocco’s sovereignty over its Sahara and its territorial integrity have never been on the negotiating table.” Hilale further emphasized that the reintegration of the Sahara into Morocco is final, reminding Algeria and the Personal Envoy of Morocco’s historical connection to the region. He highlighted the Green March, where 35 million Moroccans swore loyalty to reclaim the territory, and the allegiance expressed by Sahrawi tribal leaders to Morocco’s rulers, including the late King Hassan II and His Majesty King Mohammed VI.
Hilale concluded by honoring the sacrifices made by Morocco’s Royal Armed Forces in defense of the Sahara, affirming that the Kingdom remains unwavering in its commitment to safeguard every inch of its territory: “The Kingdom rejects any partition, even of a single grain of sand of the Moroccan Sahara.”
In summing up Morocco’s position, Ambassador Hilale underscored that Algeria’s partition proposal serves as a familiar means of sidestepping its diplomatic challenges on the Sahara issue.
