FRANCE BACKS MOROCCO CLAIM ON WESTERN SAHARA

Three years after the US government recognised Moroccan claims over Western Sahara in exchange for Morocco normalising—or accepting—relations with Israel, France is following suit.

French Foreign Minister Stéphane Séjourné was in Rabat, where he announced his country's support for Morocco's autonomy proposal for Western Sahara. This undermines a United Nations resolution that calls for a referendum to decide the territory's fate. That could be independence, autonomy or integration with Morocco. So far, a referendum has yet to be held.

Morocco occupies more than 80 per cent of Western Sahara, with the Polisario Front-led Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic controlling the rest. After colonial power Spain exited in 1975, 350,000 Moroccan civilians marched across the border to later illegally settle in the disputed territory. After this 'Green March,' Rabat invaded Western Sahara.

Under Occupied Western Sahara's sands lie phosphate, crucial for fertiliser production. Thus, Morocco controls 75 per cent of the global phosphate reserve. Meanwhile, Western Sahara's 1,110-kilometre coast contains plentiful fish and offshore oil and gas resources. Western renewable energy companies, such as Siemens and Enel, and the Moroccan king's energy company, Nareva, already operate wind farms there.

Given the African Union remains silent, how do you think the Sahrawi people—and all Africans—should address this issue? Let us know in the comments.