Analysis of the Moroccan Autonomy Plan for Western Sahara: International Legality, Resource Management, and Democratic Prospects
The Moroccan Autonomy Plan for Western Sahara, proposed in 2007, is built on a legally contentious premise: it assumes that Morocco holds sovereignty over the territory. However, Western Sahara has been listed as a non-self-governing territory by the United Nations since 1963, and Morocco is not recognized as its administering power under international law. In the absence of recognized sovereignty, any initiative framed within Morocco’s constitutional framework lacks legal foundation. This fundamental contradiction undermines the plan’s credibility and raises critical questions about its legitimacy. 1. The Autonomy Plan and International Legality 1.1. Western Sahara: A non-self-governing territory Western Sahara has been classified as a non-self-governing territory by the United Nations since 1963. Article 73 of the UN Charter affirms the inalienable right of the peoples of such territories to self-determination, including the options of independence, integration with another state, or...