In a historic move, Morocco has declared October 31 a national holiday, dubbed Unity Day, to commemorate the United Nations Security Council’s endorsement of its autonomy proposal for the disputed Western Sahara region. The royal palace announced that the holiday will celebrate Morocco’s "national unity and territorial integrity," marking a significant diplomatic victory for Rabat in its decades-long quest to solidify control over the contested territory.  

The UN resolution, passed on Friday, described genuine autonomy under Moroccan sovereignty as the "most feasible solution" to the 50-year-old conflict. The U.S.-sponsored measure garnered support from 11 of the 15 Security Council members, while Russia, China, and Pakistan abstained. Algeria, a key backer of the independence-seeking Polisario Front, opposed the resolution. The decision also extended the mandate of the UN peacekeeping mission in Western Sahara, MINURSO, for another year.  

Western Sahara, a phosphate-rich coastal desert spanning approximately 100,000 square miles (260,000 sq km), was a Spanish colony until 1975, when Morocco annexed it. The Polisario Front, an armed movement supported by Algeria, has long fought for full independence, leading to a bitter conflict in the 1970s and 80s. A UN-brokered ceasefire in 1991 paused hostilities but failed to resolve the core dispute. A promised referendum on self-determination—allowing Sahrawis to choose between independence or integration with Morocco—has never materialized due to disagreements over voter eligibility.  

The African Union (AU) recognizes Western Sahara as an independent state—the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR)—a stance that led Morocco to withdraw from the AU’s predecessor, the Organization of African Unity (OAU), in 1984. However, Rabat rejoined the AU in 2017 and has since intensified diplomatic efforts to sway African and global opinion in its favor. In recent years, the U.S., UK, Spain, France, Germany, and the Netherlands have all expressed support for Morocco’s autonomy plan, signaling a shift in international sentiment.  

Morocco’s declaration of Unity Day underscores its determination to frame the UN resolution as a validation of its territorial claims. Yet, the Polisario Front remains defiant, insisting on full independence. With tensions simmering and diplomatic battles ongoing, the fate of Western Sahara—and its people—remains one of Africa’s most enduring geopolitical dilemmas.