African Union (AU)

Topic: Western Sahara Conflict

Background
In this committee, we will be discussing the Western Sahara conflict – one that has pervaded the region since 1975, when the previous Spanish colony was annexed by Morocco. For decades, Western Sahara has been a disputed territory between Morocco and the Sahrawis, who are spearheaded by the Algiers-backed Polisario Front and have been striving for independence from Rabat’s rule. Despite being classed as a “non-autonomous territory” by the UN, an estimated 75% of Western Sahara is now under Rabat’s control, a move that has culminated in the severing of diplomatic relations between Algeria and Morocco in 2021.

One solution that has been the subject of recurring debate is the 2006 autonomy plan suggested by Morocco, whereby the Sahrawi people would control their own government, yet be under Moroccan sovereignty. Albeit unpopular, integration into Morocco has been another proposed solution. However, the Polisario Front remains firm in expressing that full independence is their sole goal, dismissing these proposals. Thus, previous efforts to resolve this issue have been unsuccessful, as both parties fail to reach a compromise.

Throughout the conference, delegates should come to a consensus on how to resolve this territorial dispute by exploring the historic and present-day background of the region, discussing the Sahrawi Polisario Front’s struggle for independence and analyzing the influence of major actors in perpetuating these tensions. Even though member states will have competing interests, discussions and resolutions should primarily focus on formulating an official status of the Western Sahara that appeases all major actors, while coming to a fair compromise. Other key issues affiliated with the conflict that should be addressed include escalating terrorist threats, deteriorating conditions in refugee camps, recruitment of child soldiers, illegal detention of prisoners of war, repression of activists, violation of human rights, and the exploitation of lucrative resources by Morocco and other states in Western Sahara. Despite being secondary issues, it is important to target these problems, as they continue to prolong the dispute and impede efforts to create an environment conducive to diplomatic talks. With tensions brewing and reaching a breaking point, it is critical that this committee finds a solution to the conflict.

Director Biography
Patil is a sophomore studying Government with a language citation in French. She is Canadian, originally Armenian, and was born and raised in Dubai. Growing up with a culturally diverse background in a cosmopolitan city sparked her interest in international affairs, which led her to participate in Model UN throughout high school and at Harvard as a Director for HMUN China 2023 and HMUN 2024. Outside of Model UN, she is involved in the Harvard Undergraduate Foreign Policy Initiative and Armenian Student Association. In her free time, she likes to read, travel and excessively drink coffee. She is very excited for the first iteration of HNMUN Africa and can’t wait to meet you all!