Thursday, November 13, 2025 - Google has clarified that the dotted
lines representing the disputed border between Western Sahara and Morocco have
never been visible to users accessing Google Maps from within Morocco.
The company’s statement comes after media reports suggested
that Google had altered the map’s display following the UN Security Council’s
endorsement of Morocco’s autonomy plan for Western Sahara.
In a statement to AFP on Tuesday, November 11, a Google
spokesperson said the border display differences were consistent with the
company’s long-standing policies on disputed territories.
“We have not made changes to Morocco or Western Sahara on
Google Maps,” the spokesperson said.
“These labels follow our longstanding policies for disputed
regions. People using Maps outside of Morocco see Western Sahara and a dotted
line to represent its disputed border; people using Maps in Morocco do not see
Western Sahara.”
Western Sahara, a vast, mineral-rich territory, was formerly
a Spanish colony. Morocco controls most of the region, while the
pro-independence Polisario Front, backed by Algeria, continues to claim
sovereignty over it.
The United Nations Security Council has repeatedly called
for renewed negotiations involving Morocco, the Polisario Front, Algeria, and
Mauritania to reach a political settlement.
However, in a move initiated by former U.S. President Donald
Trump’s administration, the Security Council endorsed a 2007 Moroccan proposal
granting Western Sahara autonomy under Rabat’s sovereignty — a decision that
remains contentious.
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