Polisario Front independence movement said it killed Moroccan soldiers inside Morocco for first time since 1991 ceasefire; Rabat denied claim. Polisario 9 Feb said it raided Moroccan army garrison in Ouarkziz area in southern Morocco previous day, killing three soldiers; Polisario’s claim of inflicting losses on kingdom’s soil is a first since 1991 ceasefire. Moroccan PM Saad-Eddine El Othmani next day denied claim as propaganda war. Bipartisan group of 27 U.S. senators 17 Feb urged U.S. President Biden to reverse former U.S. President Trump’s recognition of Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara; group also called on U.S. to recommit to referendum on self-determination as solution to conflict. Position of UN envoy for Western Sahara remained vacant after Polisario Front in Jan rejected appointment of former Romanian PM Petre Roman, citing his ties with Morocco and past participation in event organised inside Morocco-controlled Western Sahara. Polisario late Feb said “UN bears great responsibility for Morocco’s actions” in Western Sahara, including Rabat’s incursion into UN-monitored Guerguerat Buffer Strip in Nov. Rights activist Mahmoud Lemaadel mid-Feb said Morocco had launched brutal crackdown on Western Sahara’s civil society in recent weeks.

Tensions remained high as Polisario Front independence movement threatened to step up attacks against Morocco, and Algeria held military exercise at border with Morocco. Polisario Front throughout month continued to shell Moroccan positions along East-West sand berm that separates Moroccan-controlled Western Saharan territory from Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic-controlled territory; notably, Polisario 23 Jan fired four rockets at UN-monitored Guerguerat Buffer Strip – where Moroccan troops have been deployed since Nov – and next day threatened to escalate military operations. Polisario 19 Jan said it was ready to join UN-led talks on territory’s future, but would not lay down arms; UN-led negotiations involving Morocco and Polisario, with Algeria and Mauritania as observers, suspended since March 2019. Rumours of possible appointment of former Romanian PM Petre Roman as new UN envoy for Western Sahara drew criticism from Algerian media; notably, newspaper El Watan repeatedly decried him as Rabat’s ally. Following U.S. recognition of Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara in Dec, Algeria 9 Jan said it expected U.S. to exercise “impartiality” in conflict; 17-18 Jan held large-scale military exercise in Tindouf area, near border with Morocco and Western Sahara territory, in apparent warning to Morocco not to pursue elements of Polisario inside Algeria. 

Morocco scored major diplomatic victory in battle over disputed Western Sahara while low-level violence continued. U.S. President Trump 10 Dec announced U.S. recognition of Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara as part of deal under which Morocco agreed to resume diplomatic relations with Israel (see Morocco). Polisario Front independence movement same day condemned U.S. stance on Western Sahara as “blatant violation” of international law, said Trump “attributes to Morocco something which does not belong [to it]”. Algerian govt 12 Dec rejected U.S. recognition of Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara, said it undermined efforts to end decades-long conflict (see Algeria). U.S. Sec State Pompeo 24 Dec launched process to open consulate in Western Saharan city of Dakhla. Meanwhile, Polisario throughout month continued to shell Moroccan defensive positions along East-West sand berm that separates Moroccan-controlled Western Saharan territory from Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic-controlled territory; no significant damages reported.

Decades-old ceasefire between Morocco and pro-independence Polisario Front collapsed, sparking concerns that long-frozen conflict could reignite. Around 1,000 Moroccan soldiers 13 Nov moved into UN-monitored Guerguerat Buffer Strip in Western Sahara, in violation of 1991 ceasefire agreement, with Moroccan govt reporting that troops had successfully secured key road to Guerguerat border crossing point with Mauritania, which supporters of Polisario Front had blockaded since 21 Oct, and set about building new sand berm to protect Guerguerat road. Polisario Front same day accused Moroccan security forces of shooting at civilians who had been “demonstrating peacefully” and declared end of ceasefire and resumption of hostilities. Moroccan govt immediately denied allegations and reiterated its commitment to ceasefire. In following days, Polisario troops targeted various military posts along East-West sand berm that separates Moroccan-controlled Western Saharan territory from Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic-controlled territory; death toll unknown. UN mission in Western Sahara 16 Nov confirmed opposing sides exchanged fire in previous days. Low-scale violence persisted throughout late-Nov.

UN Security Council 9 April adopted resolution on Western Sahara peace process following closed-door meeting, reiterating previous resolutions’ commitment to negotiations. Prior to meeting, Polisario Front independence movement requested Security Council address absence of UN special envoy for Western Sahara; post vacant since Horst Köhler resigned in May 2019. Polisario’s UN representative Sidi Mohamed Omar 18 April said UN process is in “total paralysis”.

Liberia 12 March became latest country to open consulate to Morocco in Laayoune city in Moroccan-occupied Western Sahara prompting Polisario Front independence movement to strongly condemn Morocco’s policy of “fait accompli”.

Israeli journalist Barak Ravid 3 Feb revealed that negotiations were ongoing between Morocco, Israel and U.S. over normalisation of Morocco-Israel relations and U.S. recognition of Moroccan sovereignty in Western Sahara.

Following Côte d’Ivoire in June and Comoros in Dec, Gambia, Guinea, Gabon and São Tomé and Príncipe opened consulates to Morocco in Dakhla and Laayoune in Western Sahara in Jan, thereby recognising Morocco’s claims over territory. Polisario Front independence movement, ruling party of self-declared Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR), condemned moves and asked African Union (AU) to intervene. Morocco’s parliament adopted two laws integrating waters off coast of Western Sahara into its maritime space 22 Jan; Polisario rejected move as lacking legal effect. SADR representative to AU, Lamin Baali and AU Peace and Security Commissioner Smaïl Chergui met in Addis Ababa 26 Jan, discussed “respect of international legality” in disputed territory.

Leader of Polisario Front independence movement Brahim Ghali 16 Dec denounced UN’s inability to end diplomatic stalemate over disputed territory, as young Sahrawis increased pressure on Polisario leadership to end status quo. After Moroccan parliament’s foreign affairs committee 16 Dec approved two bills extending Rabat’s maritime boundaries over Western Sahara’s territorial water, Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR) 18 Dec said move was “null and void”. Polisario Front renewed confidence in Brahim Ghali as secretary general with 86.10% of votes during its fiftieth congress in Tifariti 19-23 Dec.

After UN Security Council 30 Oct renewed mandate of UN Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) for twelve months, Polisario Front independence movement expressed disappointment, calling move “serious blow to the political momentum that the Security Council built and maintained over the past eighteen months”, and threatened to ‘‘reconsider its engagement in the UN peace process’’.