A heated debate took place in the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday between the Moroccan and Algerian ambassadors over Western Sahara, which the international organization considers a “non-self-governing region.”

For decades, Rabat and Algeria have been facing off over Western Sahara, the former Spanish colony in which Morocco controls 80% of its territory and proposes to grant it autonomy under its sovereignty, while the Polisario Front, supported by Algeria, demands that a self-determination referendum be organized there.

After Moroccan Ambassador Omar Hilal delivered his country's speech during the general debate of the United Nations General Assembly, Algerian Ambassador Ammar Benjama requested the right of reply, accusing his counterpart of "distorting" the words of Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune, who affirmed in his speech from the same podium last week his country's support. Organizing a referendum for self-determination in the Sahara.

The Algerian ambassador said, "Everyone has his camp. We Algerians have chosen the camp of justice, decolonization, freedom, self-determination and human rights. This commitment applies to the issue of the Sahrawi people, who have been waiting for nearly half a century for the United Nations to achieve justice for them."

He added, "If the Moroccan occupation has truly made Western Sahara a paradise, with or without granting it autonomy, why is it preventing the organization of this referendum?"?

The Algerian ambassador refuted "the accusations of terrorism related to the Polisario," saying, "Let no one deceive you, because all the dominant powers have always tried to demonize the resistance and freedom fighters," offering at the same time his country's condolences to Morocco for the victims of the devastating earthquake that struck the kingdom three weeks ago.

In turn, the Moroccan ambassador requested the right to respond to what his Algerian counterpart made, saying, “One cannot shed crocodile tears and at the same time attack a country that is still experiencing a tragedy.”

He added, "You are expressing your solidarity and support, but at the same time you are spreading your poison, insulting the dead, and insulting Moroccans."
The Moroccan ambassador stressed that "the autonomy initiative within the framework of Morocco's sovereignty and territorial integrity remains the only way to turn the page on this artificial regional conflict."

Hilal stressed that “Morocco exists in its desert and will remain so until the end of time.”
Since the United States recognized at the end of 2020, during the era of former President Donald Trump, Morocco’s sovereignty over this region in exchange for the Kingdom normalizing its relations with Israel, Rabat has been waging a diplomatic campaign to garner support from other countries for its positions.