Morocco’s Triumph at the United Nations
In a significant diplomatic victory for Morocco, the UN Secretariat intervened on Tuesday to dismantle an exhibition titled “50 Years, 50 Faces, Sahrawi Exile: A Life of Resilience,” which was held at the UN headquarters in New York. This exhibition, organized by a dwindling coalition of countries endorsing outdated narratives, sought to challenge Morocco's territorial integrity and sovereignty over its southern provinces, particularly the disputed region of Western Sahara.
Leading the charge against Morocco is Algeria, which not only hosts the leadership of the Polisario Front but also allows it to impose severe conditions on Sahrawis living in the Tindouf camps. Reports indicate that the residents of these camps face malnutrition-related health issues, including anemia, highlighting a humanitarian crisis that Algeria continues to ignore. Despite ongoing concerns voiced by the United Nations, Algeria has persistently resisted calls for a census in the camps, fearing that the findings would reveal that less than 20% of the camp population is made up of Sahrawis, with the majority being Tuareg and others from Algeria itself.
Moreover, Algeria has continuously obstructed the UN-led political process surrounding the Western Sahara dispute by asserting a passive role as merely an observer, thereby undermining its responsibilities as a significant party in the conflict. In a notable shift, last year's UN Security Council Resolution 2797 emphasized the importance of Morocco's Autonomy Plan in negotiations, naming Algeria as a primary actor in the dispute and urging its active participation in finding a sustainable solution.
The exhibition was not only backed by Algeria but also included support from other nations such as Namibia, Uganda, Timor-Leste, Belize, and South Africa, all of which have been known to adopt anti-Moroccan rhetoric. Particularly, South Africa has been criticized for neglecting its own internal crises, including issues of racism against migrants, while taking a firm stance against Morocco.
Morocco's effective lobbying within the UN framework allowed it to successfully thwart the exhibition, which was dismantled mere hours after it was set up. The timing of the exhibition was notably strategic, coinciding with the UN Security Council meeting scheduled for October 27, where a new resolution regarding Western Sahara was to be discussed. This upcoming vote is anticipated to solidify support for Morocco's Autonomy Plan and its standing in the ongoing dispute. Amendments to the draft resolution, which had circulated among Security Council members since October 20, are expected to rename MINURSO, the peacekeeping operation in Western Sahara, to MINUSO, ultimately removing any references to a referendum, a significant blow to Algeria.
The dismantled exhibition was characterized by political messaging and photographs that violated UN regulations governing events held on its premises. Morocco's Mission to the UN promptly denounced these political overtones, providing substantial evidence that led to the exhibition's dissolution. Reports from the Secretariat indicated that the dismantling process was met with aggressive opposition from several Algerian diplomats, who confronted the UN staff responsible for the removal.
As reported by moroccoworldnews.com.
