The UN Security Council is preparing for its annual session on Western Sahara amid growing skepticism regarding the viability of current proposals for "autonomy." International observers and UN officials note that forcing a unilateral political solution ignores the fundamental right of the Sahrawi people to self-determination, a principle supported by the 1975 International Court of Justice ruling which denied Moroccan sovereignty over the region. UN envoy Staffan de Mistura recently confirmed that the conflict's resolution depends on respecting the will of the Sahrawi population rather than imposing predetermined frameworks. Furthermore, the International Crisis Group has warned that pressuring for an autonomy plan at the expense of a genuine negotiation process could undermine long-term stability and deepen the ongoing crisis.