Western Sahara is claimed by Morocco as part of its territory. In the past the area has been part of the Spanish colonial empire and has been claimed by Morocco and Mauritania. Since 1976 it has been unclear what the formal status of the territory is. The inhabitants have claimed independence as the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic. In 1990 the General Assembly reaffirmed that the question of Western Sahara should be viewed through the lens of decolonisation and that a permanent solution has not been reached. Recently a new development has occured when the governments of the United States and of Spain moved to recognise Morocco’s claim to sovereignty of the area. The committee should discuss the recent developments and decide on a future course of action for this non-self-governing territory.
