Western Sahara Remains Non-Self-Governing Territory Awaiting Decolonization

Spanish writer and journalist Victoria Garcia Corera emphasized that Western Sahara’s legal status hasn’t changed in 2025, stressing that the territory continues to be classified as non-self-governing and awaiting decolonization, whose final status can only be decided through the Sahrawi people exercising their right to self-determination.

“If one thing has become clear in 2025, it’s that (…) Western Sahara’s legal framework remains unchanged,” she wrote in an opinion piece for the “Don’t Forget Western Sahara” platform.

Victoria Corera argues that no bilateral initiative or diplomatic gesture has succeeded in changing the nature of this territory as defined by the United Nations: “a non-self-governing territory awaiting decolonization, whose final status can only be determined by the Sahrawi people exercising their right to self-determination.” She stressed that “nothing of substance has changed” in the latest Security Council resolution on Western Sahara, despite Morocco’s attempts to suggest otherwise.

“The Security Council Resolution 2797 clearly illustrates this battle over interpretation yet again,” the writer added, explaining that Morocco has attempted to impose an interpretation of the text that is in its favor by “portraying it as implicit backing for its so-called autonomy plan.” “The resolution introduces no substantial changes, grants no recognition of Moroccan sovereignty over the territory, and leaves untouched the fundamental principle governing the Sahrawi issue: the Sahrawi people’s inalienable right to self-determination,” she underlined.

“This principle remains a legal barrier that cannot be crossed,” she insisted.

Regarding Europe, the Spanish writer pointed out that European law has “clearly established” that no agreement can be applied to this territory without the Sahrawi people’s consent.” “This legal reality stands in stark contrast to the European Commission’s political attempts to legitimize a situation that has no legal basis whatsoever,” she stressed.

“Western Sahara remains an unresolved decolonization issue, not a frozen conflict or regional dispute. Until this fundamental principle is honored, any attempt to force through partial or final solutions will remain politically weak and legally void,” she warned.