Global irresponsibility: The Trump-backed Western Sahara annexation sets a nasty precedent

Доступно на русском

On Dec. 10, World Human Rights Day, the Working Group on Human Rights in Western Sahara published an open letter addressed primarily to UN member states. It alerted the world to the fact that thousands of Sahrawis, members of the indigenous people of the Sahara, are being subjected to systematic violence at the hands of the Moroccan authorities. The Sahrawis’ land was annexed by the neighboring monarchy half a century ago, they have no effective means to defend their rights, and the international community has largely turned a blind eye to their plight.

The Working Group on Human Rights in Western Sahara is made up of Sahrawi representatives. In their letter, they single out the negative role played by Donald Trump, noting that his 2020 decision to support Morocco’s claims to sovereignty over Western Sahara worsened the situation of the indigenous population and emboldened officials in Rabat, pushing them to commit more crimes against the autochthonous population.

The letter, however, does not mention the detail that, this past October, Trump’s position was endorsed by the UN Security Council, which adopted a resolution recognizing Morocco’s rights to Western Sahara. In its key provisions, the Security Council document mirrors the conflict settlement plan adopted by the Moroccan authorities. Both the plan and the resolution envisage granting the region formal autonomy, while leaving all decisions related to defense policy, control over natural resources, and security, in the hands of the central government.

For decades, the UN postponed a decision on Morocco’s sovereignty over Western Sahara, carefully distancing itself both from the Sahrawis demanding independence and from the Moroccan monarch, who gained control over this vast territory via highly questionable means.