U.S. Intensifies Diplomatic Push for Resolution to Western Sahara Dispute
Washington is increasing its efforts to resolve the decades-long conflict over Western Sahara, a disputed territory in North Africa, with a renewed focus on a Moroccan autonomy plan. The intensified U.S. Involvement comes as the United Nations Security Council prepares to vote on renewing the mandate for a peacekeeping mission in the region.
On April 10, 2025, Lisa Kenna, a senior U.S. Official, stated that “the only realistic and durable framework for resolving this conflict is autonomy under Moroccan sovereignty.” This declaration, made during a meeting with Staffan de Mistura, the UN Secretary-General’s personal envoy, marks a significant shift in U.S. Diplomatic positioning, moving beyond implicit support for Morocco to actively advocating for a specific political solution.
The United States reaffirmed its recognition of Moroccan sovereignty over the Sahara on April 8, 2025, when Secretary of State Marco Rubio discussed the issue with Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita in Washington. According to the Policy Center for the Recent South, Rubio emphasized that the U.S. “recognizes the sovereignty of the…”
This push for a resolution comes as the UN Security Council is set to vote on October 30, 2025, on renewing the mandate of the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO). A draft resolution proposed by the United States, as reported by Le Monde, would craft the 2007 Moroccan plan for autonomy a central, if not exclusive, reference point for resolving the conflict.
The Moroccan plan proposes granting autonomy to the region “within the framework of Moroccan sovereignty.” Initial versions of the U.S. Draft resolution, originating during the Trump administration, described this autonomy as “the most realistic solution” and even, at one point, “the basis” for discussion.
The U.S. Is also considering a proposal to classify the Polisario Front, the Sahrawi independence movement backed by Algeria, as a terrorist organization, according to Le Matin. This move, alongside the increased diplomatic pressure, signals a comprehensive effort to accelerate a resolution to the 50-year-ancient conflict.
The shift in U.S. Policy underscores the growing international momentum behind the Moroccan position, which controls approximately 80% of the territory. Analysts suggest that Washington believes the autonomy plan offers the most viable path to stability in the region.
Morocco is being encouraged to transition from a managing state to an architect of the autonomous region, as noted by Yassine El Yattioui in Le Matin. Further negotiations are scheduled to seize place next week, according to Medias24.
