Borderline ambiguity: How Google Maps removes disputed Western Sahara border for Morocco users | Morocco
The dotted lines marking the border between Western Sahara and Morocco, indicating Western Sahara’s status as a disputed territory, have never been visible to people using Google Maps on the latter.
After media reports last week highlighted the discrepancy and linked it to the UN Security Council’s approval of the Moroccan autonomy plan for Western Sahara, the tech company issued a statement acknowledging that it always shows the border differently depending on the search area.
“We have not made changes to Morocco or Western Sahara in Google Maps,” a Google spokesperson told Agence France-Presse.
“These labels follow our long-standing policies towards disputed territories. People using Maps outside Morocco see the dotted line representing Western Sahara and its disputed border; people using Maps in Morocco do not see Western Sahara.”
Western Sahara is a mineral-rich former Spanish colony largely controlled by Morocco but claimed for decades by the pro-independence Polisario Front, which is backed by Algeria.
The UN security council had previously called on Morocco, the Polisario Front, Algeria and Mauritania to restart negotiations to reach a broad agreement.
But the council’s decision, at the initiative of US President Donald Trump’s administration, supported a plan first presented by Rabat in 2007 that would see Western Sahara have autonomy under the sole sovereignty of Morocco.
