Belgium has backed Morocco’s autonomy plan for the disputed Western Sahara, aligning itself with a growing number of Western nations that see the proposal as the most viable solution to the long-running conflict.
The position was formalized in a joint declaration signed by the two countries’ foreign ministers in Brussels on Thursday.
“The Belgian government considers the Moroccan autonomy plan as the most adequate, serious, credible and realistic basis” for a political settlement, the declaration said. It was signed by Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita and Belgian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Maxime Prevot.
The conflict over the territory dates back to 1975 when colonial Spain withdrew. Morocco annexed the vast, sparsely populated desert region, insisting it has always been part of its kingdom. The Polisario Front, a movement backed by Algeria, fought a war for independence until a 1991 ceasefire and continues to demand a U.N.-backed referendum on self-determination.
With its move, Belgium joins other U.N. Security Council members, including the United States, France and Britain, which have already expressed support for the autonomy plan under Moroccan sovereignty. Several other European nations, including Spain and Germany, have also shifted their stance to back Rabat’s initiative.
The European Union, however, has not taken a unified position. The bloc continues to publicly support U.N.-led efforts to broker a mutually acceptable political solution.
Algeria and the Polisario Front immediately condemned Belgium’s decision, arguing that a referendum with independence as an option remains the only legitimate path to resolve the dispute.
A U.N. spokesman, asked about the development, said the world body still considers the conflict “of low intensity” and urged all parties to return to negotiations.
The endorsement marks another diplomatic win for Morocco as it seeks to consolidate international support for its rule over Western Sahara.
