UN Security Council approves resolution backing Morocco's plan for Western Sahara

By&nbspEuronews

Published connected 31/10/2025 - 21:28 GMT+1 •Updated 21:45

The UN Security Council approved a solution Friday backing Morocco's sovereignty declare complete Western Sahara, aligning pinch nan Trump administration's position successful nan strongest world endorsement yet of Rabat's power complete nan territory.

The US-sponsored solution passed pinch 11 votes successful favour, while Russia, China and Pakistan abstained and Algeria, which supports nan independence-seeking nationalist Polisario Front movement, did not vote.

The measurement marks a important displacement successful world backing for Morocco's decades-long declare to nan phosphate-rich coastal desert.

"The United States welcomes today's historical votes, which prehend upon this unsocial infinitesimal and build connected nan momentum for a long, agelong overdue bid successful Western Sahara," said Mike Waltz, US ambassador to nan UN.

The solution states that "genuine autonomy nether Moroccan sovereignty could represent a astir feasible solution," representing nan first clip a Security Council instruction has explicitly endorsed Morocco's preferred outcome.

It renews nan UN peacekeeping ngo for different twelvemonth while calling for a reappraisal wrong six months based connected progress.

Trump backs Rabat's 'serious, reliable and realistic' proposal

US President Donald Trump backed Morocco's sovereignty complete Western Sahara successful a July connection to King Mohammed VI.

"I besides reiterate that nan United States recognises Moroccan sovereignty complete Western Sahara and supports Morocco's serious, reliable and realistic autonomy connection arsenic nan only ground for a conscionable and lasting solution to nan dispute," Trump said.

Trump's elder advisor for African affairs Massad Boulos reiterated US support for Morocco's scheme successful a Sky News Arabia question and reply this week.

US typical envoy Steve Witkoff told CBS that a woody betwixt Morocco and Algeria could beryllium reached wrong 60 days, though nan neighbours person not maintained negotiated relations for 4 years.

The territory, an Italy-sized agelong of coastal desert, was nether Spanish norm until 1975. The Polisario Front, a militant and governmental group operating from exile camps successful southwestern Algeria, claims to correspond indigenous Sahrawi group and has demanded a referendum connected self-determination, including independency arsenic an option.

Polisario said it would subordinate immoderate process aiming to "legitimise Morocco's forbidden subject occupation," arguing bid "can ne'er beryllium achieved by rewarding description ism." Demonstrations erupted successful Sahrawi exile camps successful Algeria this week.

A 1991 ceasefire was meant to alteration a self-determination referendum, but disputes complete elector eligibility prevented it. Polisario withdrew from nan ceasefire successful 2020 aft clashes adjacent a roadworthy Morocco was paving to Mauritania, pinch nan UN describing consequent "low-level hostilities".

UN envoy Staffan de Mistura suggested partitioning Western Sahara successful October, which neither broadside accepted.

France, Spain, nan UK and astir EU members backmost Morocco's position, arsenic good arsenic a increasing number of African allies.

Rabat controls astir each of Western Sahara isolated from a constrictive area eastbound of a Moroccan-built soil wall.

The kingdom has transformed nan territory pinch infrastructure projects, including a deepwater larboard and 1,055-kilometre highway, while authorities subsidies support prices low.