Morocco has announced the creation of a new national holiday in honor of the recent United Nations Security Council resolution supporting its autonomy plan for Western Sahara. Starting next year, October 31st will be an official day off nationwide, according to a statement from the royal palace.
This decision comes a few days after the adoption last Friday of a Security Council resolution describing the Moroccan plan as a “realistic and feasible option” for ending the nearly half-century-long conflict. The text emphasizes that autonomy for Western Sahara under Moroccan sovereignty could provide a lasting solution to the rivalry between Rabat and the Polisario Front, the independence movement supported by Algeria.
Morocco considers Western Sahara, a former Spanish colony annexed in 1975, an integral part of its territory. For years, Rabat has advocated a limited autonomy plan, categorically rejecting any prospect of independence. Conversely, the Polisario Front, based in Algeria, campaigns for a referendum on self-determination, supported by Algiers, which views the UN resolution as a setback for the right of peoples to self-determination.
For the Kingdom of Morocco, this international recognition represents a major diplomatic victory. The government hailed it as a “historic turning point,” confirming the relevance of its approach and the growing support of the international community for its autonomy plan. In major Moroccan cities, particularly Casablanca and Rabat, celebrations erupted, with many citizens waving the national flag to mark this symbolic milestone.
By establishing this commemorative day, Morocco intends to permanently anchor this recognition in its collective memory and strengthen national unity around the issue of Western Sahara, considered a “sacred cause” of the kingdom.
