Former German President Horst Köhler 8 Sept took office as UN Special Envoy for Western Sahara; armed independence movement Polisario Front lauded appointment and reiterated willingness to cooperate with UN. Moroccan security forces 10 Sept broke up crowd demonstrating in Laayoune city against transfer of prisoners to Morocco.

UN Secretary-General Guterres 16 Aug appointed former German President Horst Köhler as personal envoy for Western Sahara, replacing U.S. diplomat Christopher Ross.

Moroccan FM Bourita 3 July said at country’s first African Union (AU) summit since rejoining bloc that he was “very satisfied” that AU had agreed to let UN lead attempts to resolve Western Sahara conflict. Rabat Court of Appeals 19 July sentenced 23 Sahrawi civilians to prison terms ranging from two years to life over killing of eleven members of Moroccan security forces after they dismantled Gdim Izik camp in contested Western Sahara in Nov 2010.

UN Secretary-General Guterres 2 June said in letter to UN Security Council that he intended to name former German President Horst Köhler as envoy for Western Sahara.

South African authorities early May seized Moroccan shipment of phosphate after self-proclaimed Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic made legal challenge that Morocco had illegally exported cargo; Panama authorities mid-May seized another Moroccan phosphate shipment for same reasons, 22 May said shipment had been released.

Armed independence movement Polisario Front mid-April approved proposal of UNSG Guterres to appoint former German President Horst Köhler as his Personal Envoy for Western Sahara following March resignation of Christopher Ross. Guterres 10 April called on Morocco and Polisario Front to restart peace talks, UNSC 28 April adopted resolution renewing mandate of MINURSO peacekeeping mission until 30 April 2018 and calling on Morocco and Polisario Front to restart peace talks. UN same day welcomed withdrawal of Polisario Front elements from Guerguerat area near Mauritanian border.

UN envoy Christopher Ross resigned early March having made little progress in resolving conflict since 2009; UNSG Guterres to appoint new envoy in April. AU expressed “regret” that Morocco did not attend AU’s Peace and Security Council meeting on Western Sahara 20 March. Conference of African finance ministers due to start 27 March in Senegal, co-hosted by AU and UN Economic Commission for Africa, postponed 25 March after Morocco demanded exclusion of Western Sahara, AU member, but not UN member state.

Morocco’s deputy FM 5 Feb said Morocco would “never recognise” Western Sahara’s independence. Armed independence movement Polisario Front’s UN representative Ahmed Boukhari 14 Feb said Morocco must recognise Western Sahara’s independence or face sanctions or requests to leave AU, which Morocco rejoined in Jan and which recognises Saharawi people’s right to self-determination. Morocco 26 Feb unilaterally withdrew troops from Guerguerat region near Mauritania border after months-long standoff; Polisario troops remained.

Moroccan security forces 1 and 4 Jan forcefully dispersed Sahrawi protestors in al-Ayun who claimed right of Sahrawi people to self-determination and condemned “plundering” of natural resources. Polisario Front independence movement 21 Jan filed complaint with European Commission and French customs to denounce shipment of fish oil from Western Sahara by Gibraltar-flagged tanker on grounds that it violated European Court of Justice 21 Dec ruling, arguing Morocco has no right to issue export licences from territory which court said cannot be treated as part of Morocco under trade agreements.

European Court of Justice 21 Dec ruled two political and trade deals between Morocco and EU were valid but did not apply to Western Sahara (see Morocco).