President Macron supports Western Sahara autonomy plan

Hello everyone,

The APROFED association is once again contacting you to provide you with  international news that may be of interest to New Caledonia.

Indeed,  the President of the French Republic, Emmanuel Macron, decided at the beginning of this week to support the broad autonomy plan proposed by Morocco for the management of Western Sahara , a territory classified as non-autonomous by the UN.

As a reminder, Western Sahara is a former Spanish colony that has been claimed by Morocco since 1976, controlling and administering nearly 80% of the territory. The remaining 20% ​​is managed by the Polisario Front, made up of local populations, who are demanding the implementation of a self-determination referendum with a view to obtaining independence and thus establishing the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR), supported by Algeria. This claim was the subject of an armed conflict from 1976 to 1991 and several clashes in 2010 and 2020.

Although the association does not comment on the  issue itself, which has not been resolved for 40 years , it notes  the broad autonomy plan proposed by Morocco, which is supported on the international scene  by countries such as the United States, Germany, Spain and now France, as interesting.

This plan, detailed in  35 key points, which could be compared to a constitution , challenges the association insofar as it tends to resemble the current status of New Caledonia, or even beyond.

Indeed, if Morocco retains its sovereign powers according to points 6 and 14, it  allows Western Sahara to have jurisdiction in the area of ​​local police and courts in point 12.

The election of the Parliament  (legislative power) is, according to point 19,  partly based on universal suffrage and partly on members from the Sahrawi tribes  (customary aspect) .

Point 20, concerning the prerogatives of the  head of government of the Sahara, mentions that he also represents the Moroccan State . For New Caledonia, it would be as if the president of the local government also occupied the position of the head of government.

Point 31 provides, as part of the implementation of this status, an  amnesty for people who have participated in various conflicts in the past.

However, the association notes that in point 24, the laws of Western Sahara must respect the Moroccan constitution.  As in New Caledonia, Western Sahara risks being limited in its means of action.  This is why the association recommends for the future status of Caledonia the obtaining of  legislative sovereignty  concerning the powers it already has, as New Zealand, Canada or Australia were able to obtain vis-à-vis the United Kingdom, in order to  no longer submit the laws of countries to the Council of State or the Constitutional Council , even if it means that  New Caledonia adopts a constitution or a convention  like New Zealand within the framework of a federated state.

While the broad autonomy plan for Western Sahara seems interesting, it remains essential to be framed in time with a view to the development of the territory with the support of Morocco, but with the objective of a vote of self-determination in the long term, allowing the population of Western Sahara to decide on its possible independence. This has already been expressed through the Polisario Front in order not to be integrated into either the State of Morocco or that of Mauritania.

Find all the points of the Moroccan autonomy plan at the following link:  Key points of Morocco’s autonomy plan for Western Sahara (atalayar.com)

As well as France’s recent position on this issue:  Western Sahara: Emmanuel Macron supports Morocco’s plan, Algeria recalls its ambassador (ouest-france.fr)

Hoping that the President of the Republic will do the same work for New Caledonia.

Wishing you a good read and reminding you that federalism turns out to be the solution.

The APROFED association