Why Algeria abstained from the UN vote on Western Sahara: Video
Algeria has formally distanced itself from a recent United Nations Security Council vote that endorsed the U.S.-backed resolution supporting Morocco’s autonomy plan for Western Sahara.
The country described the text as inconsistent with UN principles on decolonisation and dismissive of Sahrawi voices.
Speaking before the UN, Algeria's Permanent Representative Amar Bendjama explained that his country had abstained from the vote as a deliberate act to demonstrate its rejection of a resolution it says "does not adequately reflect the UN doctrine regarding decolonisation."
"This text ignores the proposals of the Polisario Front, which were recently submitted to the Secretary-General and Security Council under reference S/2025/664," Bendjama said. "The Polisario is a party to the conflict and its opinion must be heard, if not taken into consideration."
He also raised what he described as “serious, legitimate legal questions” about the foundations of the proposed negotiation framework embedded in the resolution, suggesting that the plan could undermine established international legal norms around self-determination.
The resolution renews the mandate of the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO), but increasingly appears to sideline the original premise of a UN-organised referendum in favour of Morocco’s autonomy proposal, something Algeria and the Polisario Front oppose.
This story is written and edited by the Global South World team, you can contact us here.
