The EU Monday endorsed Spain’s decision to change its stance on Western Sahara. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez sent a letter to King Mohammed of Morocco on Friday expressing his support for Morocco’s plan to allow Western Sahara to be an autonomous region while being a part of the sovereign state of Morocco.

Western Sahara was occupied by Spain in 1885. In 1965, the UNGA adopted a resolution asking Spain to decolonise the territory. Subsequently, in 1975, Spain finally relinquished administrative control over the territory to a joint administration by Morocco and Mauritania. Mauritania eventually withdrew its claims in 1979 and what a prolonged conflict between Morocco and the Polisario Front, an indigenous Sahrawi independence movement, remained. The UN sponsored a cease-fire in 1991. The two countries agreed to a settlement plan, which provided for a transitional period where the people of Western Sahara could choose between independence and integration with Morocco. However, to this date, the settlement plan has not been implemented.

Spain maintained a neutral position on the issue for years. However, the prime minister expressed on Friday that Morocco’s decision to offer Western Sahara autonomy while it remained part of its sovereign was the most realistic basis to end the ongoing conflict. The EU also welcomed the plan as a positive development between its member states and Morocco.

In response to Spain’s decision, Algeria recalled its Spain envoy from Madrid and also condemned the abrupt change in position on the conflict. The Polisario Front also accused Spain of making a grave error in relation to its changed position. As of now, Western Sahara is recognised by the UN as a non-self-governing territory under Chapter XI of the UN Charter. The UN has renewed its bid to arrange a referendum once again for 2022. Recent developments are bound to impact the possibility of reaching a consensus regarding a referendum.