Statement of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs:
Statement of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs:
Algeria has taken note of the new position adopted by the United Kingdom on the issue of Western Sahara.
Algeria regrets the choice made by the United Kingdom to support the Moroccan autonomy plan. Over its eighteen-year existence, this plan has never been submitted to the Sahrawi people as a basis for negotiation, nor has it ever been taken seriously by successive UN Envoys. All of them have pointed out the hollow nature of the Moroccan autonomy initiative and its inability to provide a serious and credible solution to the Western Sahara conflict.
Indeed, the Moroccan autonomy plan has never aimed to serve as a basis for political settlement of this conflict. Its objectives have always been to fill the space to prevent any search for a genuine solution, all this to allow Morocco to buy time and gradually acclimate the international community to the fait accompli of the illegal occupation of Western Sahara.
Algeria notes, nevertheless, that the United Kingdom has neither mentioned nor backed the Morocco’s so-called sovereignty over the Western Sahara territory and therefore does not endorse the illegal occupation of this "non-autonomous territory" in the sense of International Law. It also notes that during the press conference, the British Secretary of State publicly and solemnly reaffirmed the United Kingdom’s commitment to the principle of the right to self-determination.
Given this dual particularity of the new British position on the issue of Western Sahara, Algeria expresses the hope that, as a permanent member of the Security Council, the United Kingdom will continue to hold Morocco accountable for its international responsibilities and will also continues to ensure respect for international law and, in particular, the United Nations doctrine on decolonization.
june 1st, 2025