The United Nations General Assembly, by resolution 3247 (XXIX) of 29 November 1974, decided to invite also the nationalist movements recognized by the Organization of African Unity (OAU, later transformed into the AU) and/or by the League of Arab States (AL) in their respective regions to participate in the United Nations Conference on the Representation of States in Their Relations with International Organizations as observers.
[3][4] The UNGA recognized some of these nationalist movements as representatives of the people of their respective territories, along with their right to self-determination, national independence and sovereignty there.
[5] In 1974 the UN took similar decision for the Palestine Liberation Organization and it was also given the status of UN observer entity[6] The OAU and the UN have contacts with the Polisario Front[7] and the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (established by the Polisario Front) is member state of the OAU since 1982.
Since 1991 the UN is maintaining a peacekeeping mission in Western Sahara overseeing a cease-fire between Morocco and the Polisario Front.
After independence most of the liberation movements transform into political parties – governing or oppositional.