The Settlement Plan (Arabic: خطة التسوية, romanized: Khiṭṭah al-Taswiyah; Spanish: Plan de Arreglo) was an agreement between the ethnically Sahrawi Polisario Front and Morocco on the organization of a referendum, which would constitute an expression of self-determination for the people of Western Sahara, leading either to full independence, or integration with the Kingdom of Morocco. It resulted in a cease-fire which remained effective until 2020, and the establishment of the MINURSO peace force to oversee it and to organize the referendum. The referendum never occurred.
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👉 Settlement Plan in the context of Free Zone (region)
The Free Zone or Liberated Territories (Arabic: المنطقة الحرة, romanized: al-minṭaqa al-ḥurra) is a term used by the Polisario Front government of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic, a partially recognized sovereign state in the western Maghreb, to describe the part of Western Sahara that lies to the east of a 2,200-kilometre (1,400 mi) border wall flanked by a minefield, often referred as the Berm, and to the west and north of the borders with Algeria and Mauritania, respectively. It is controlled by the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic, as opposed to the area to the west of the Berm, which is occupied by Morocco as part of its Southern Provinces. Both states claim the entirety of Western Sahara as their territory.
The zone was consolidated as a Polisario-held zone in a 1991 cease-fire between the Polisario Front and Morocco, which had been agreed upon together as part of the Settlement Plan. Morocco occupies the areas west of the Berm, including most of the territory's population. The cease-fire is overseen by the United Nations' MINURSO forces, charged with peacekeeping in the area and the organization of a referendum on independence.
In this Dossier
- ⭐ Core Definition: Settlement Plan
- 👉 Settlement Plan in the context of Free Zone (region)
- Settlement Plan in the context of United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara
- Settlement Plan in the context of United Nations Security Council Resolution 690
- Settlement Plan in the context of United Nations Security Council Resolution 658
Settlement Plan in the context of United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara
The United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (Arabic: بعثة الأمم المتحدة لتنظيم استفتاء في الصحراء الغربية; French: Mission des Nations Unies pour l'Organisation d'un Référendum au Sahara Occidental; Spanish: Misión de las Naciones Unidas para la Organización de un Referéndum en el Sáhara Occidental; MINURSO) is the United Nations peacekeeping mission in Western Sahara, established in 1991 under United Nations Security Council Resolution 690 as part of the Settlement Plan, which had paved way for a cease-fire in the conflict between Morocco and the Polisario Front (representing the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic) over the contested territory of Western Sahara (formerly Spanish Sahara).
MINURSO's mission was to monitor the cease-fire and to organize and conduct a referendum in accordance with the Settlement Plan, which would enable the Sahrawi people of Western Sahara to choose between integration with Morocco and independence. This was intended to constitute a Sahrawi exercise of self-determination, and thus complete Western Sahara's still-unfinished process of decolonization (Western Sahara is the last major territory remaining on the UN's list of non-decolonized territories.)
Settlement Plan in the context of United Nations Security Council Resolution 690
United Nations Security Council resolution 690, was adopted unanimously on 29 April 1991. After recalling resolutions 621 (1988) and 658 (1990) and noting a report by the Secretary-General on the situation in Western Sahara, the Council approved the report and decided to establish the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) in accordance with the Secretary-General's recommendations. The Mission was to implement the Settlement Plan for a referendum of self-determination for the people of Western Sahara.
The Council called upon Morocco and the Polisario Front to co-operate with the Secretary-General and the Mission, expressing its full support to him and the Organisation of African Unity for their efforts. It also decided that the transitional period will begin no later than sixteen weeks after the General Assembly approves the budget of MINURSO. In May 1991, the General Assembly approved the budget.
Settlement Plan in the context of United Nations Security Council Resolution 658
United Nations Security Council resolution 658, adopted unanimously on 27 June 1990, after recalling Resolution 621 (1988) and noting a report by the Secretary-General on the situation in Western Sahara, the Council approved the Secretary-General's recommendations regarding a settlement of the issue.
Though not established until Resolution 690 (1991), the agreement arising from Resolution 658 concerned a plan whereby the United Nations would supervise a ceasefire between Morocco and the Polisario Front and conduct a referendum in which the people of Western Sahara would decide between self-determination or integration with Morocco that later became known as the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara. Secretary-General Javier Pérez de Cuéllar described the plan as "large and complicated". This was proposed after the 1988 Settlement Plan agreement between Morocco and the Polisario Front.