UN Security Council 31 Oct renewed mandate of UN mission MINURSO for six months instead of one year to pressure parties into resuming talks ahead of roundtable meeting between Morocco, Polisario Front independence movement, Algeria and Mauritania under UN auspices planned for 5-6 Dec in Geneva.

Morocco, Algeria, Mauritania and Polisario Front independence movement accepted UN Envoy for Western Sahara Horst Köhler’s Sept invitation to discuss next steps in peace process in Geneva early Dec. UN Security Council to vote on renewal of UN mission MINURSO 31 Oct.

EU’s General Court 19 July ruled that territory of Western Sahara and its adjacent waters do not fall under Moroccan sovereignty, confirming rulings of European Court of Justice. Morocco and EU 24 July signed new fisheries agreement: EU to give Morocco €52mn per year for allowing boats from EU to fish in Morocco’s waters, including waters off Western Sahara; Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR) said deal “encourages the Moroccan occupation” of Western Sahara and “European Commission is accomplice to this robbery”. Polisario Front independence movement’s dissident wing Khatt al-Shahid early July sent letter to African Union contesting SADR’s claim to be sole representative of Sahrawi people, denouncing human rights violations by security forces during crackdown on protesters taking part in sit-in 16 June in Tindouf refugee camps after political activist died in prison early June.

European Commission 11 June presented proposed amendments to EU’s association agreement with Morocco aimed at aligning it with Dec 2016 European Court of Justice (ECJ) ruling that no EU trade or association agreements with Morocco could be applied to Western Sahara. Polisario Front independence movement said European Commission’s consultation process with Morocco did not involve any representatives of Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic and 15 June filed complaint at ECJ. UN Envoy for Western Sahara Horst Köhler held new round of talks in Morocco and Algeria 23 June-1 July to push for return to negotiations over disputed territory.

Polisario Front independence movement 20 May held military parades in Tifariti area east of separation wall to mark its 45th anniversary; Morocco condemned move as “provocation” and “violation of ceasefire”, and said it had alerted UN. UN 19 May called on parties to avoid action “which may constitute a change to the status quo”. Morocco cut ties with Iran 1 May, accusing Tehran and allied Lebanese Shiite movement Hizbollah of training and providing advanced weaponry to Polisario Front, and 14 May said Algeria supported Hizbollah in backing Polisario Front.

Morocco 1 April said Polisario Front independence movement had entered UN-monitored buffer zones in Western Sahara from Algeria, threatened to take control of area. Vote at UN Security Council on one-year renewal of UN mission MINURSO scheduled for 25 April postponed due to disagreements over content of resolution. Security Council 27 April passed amended resolution, pushed by U.S., renewing MINURSO’s mandate for only six months, urging conflict parties to enter into direct talks as soon as possible and calling for end of status quo. China, Russia and Ethiopia abstained.

European Court of Justice 27 Feb ruled that EU’s fisheries agreement with Morocco is valid, but that it does not cover waters adjacent to Western Sahara since they are “not part of the Moroccan fishing zone”. High Court of South Africa 23 Feb ruled that shipment of New Zealand-bound phosphate seized in May 2017 belongs to Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR), not Morocco.

Adviser to EU Court of Justice 10 Jan said that EU’s fisheries deal with Morocco should be declared invalid because it includes Western Sahara.

Court run by armed independence movement Polisario Front 1 Nov sentenced nineteen Moroccans charged with drug trafficking to prison sentences ranging from fifteen to seventeen years. King of Morocco 7 Nov reiterated his backing for Moroccan proposal that Western Sahara have “autonomy” under Moroccan rule. Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR) attended African Union-European Union summit in Côte d’Ivoire 29-30 Nov.

New UN Special Envoy for Western Sahara Horst Köhler conducted regional tour meeting Morocco’s King Mohammed VI, PM and FM 17 Oct and visiting armed independence movement Polisario Front’s refugee camps in Tindouf, Algeria 18 Oct, Algerian capital Algiers 22 Oct and Mauritanian capital Nouakchott 23 Oct.