Borderline marking W.Sahara vanishes for Google Maps users in Morocco
The United Nations Security Council on Friday backed a Moroccan plan for Western Sahara, a disputed territory that has provoked decades of conflict between Rabat and the Sahrawi independence movement, the Polisario Front, which is backed by Algeria.
A Moroccan holds up the image of King Mohammed VI, as people celebrates the decision of the UN Security Council, which expressed its support for Morocco’s autonomy plan for Western Sahara — a territory that has been disputed for half a century between Rabat and the independence-seeking Polisario Front, backed by Algeria, in the city of Rabat on Rabat, late on October 31, 2025. (AFP)
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RABAT - A dotted line on Google Maps marking Western Sahara's border with Morocco vanished for users in the North African kingdom on Saturday, a day after a UN vote in favour of a plan by Rabat for the disputed region.
The United Nations Security Council on Friday backed a Moroccan plan for Western Sahara, a disputed territory that has provoked decades of conflict between Rabat and the Sahrawi independence movement, the Polisario Front, which is backed by Algeria.
According to observations by AFP, the dotted line illustrating the border still remained for users outside Morocco, including in Algeria, the United States and France.
On social media platforms like X and Facebook, many users in Morocco welcomed the removal of the demarcation. "The imaginary line is no more," wrote one user.
Western Sahara is a vast mineral-rich former Spanish colony that is largely controlled by Morocco but has been claimed for decades by the pro-independence Polisario Front.
The Security Council had previously urged Morocco, the Polisario Front, Algeria and Mauritania to resume talks to reach a broad agreement.
But, at the initiative of US President Donald Trump's administration, the council resolution supported a plan, initially presented by Rabat in 2007, in which Western Sahara would enjoy autonomy under Morocco's sole sovereignty.