The Sahara issue remains one of the longest-running regional conflicts. Initially, the UN sought to resolve it through a self-determination referendum, but after nine years, the plan proved impractical, leading to new proposals, first the Framework Agreement, then a partition plan, and finally Morocco’s Autonomy Initiative in 2007. This initiative marked a turning point, as the UN Security Council gradually adopted it as the basis for negotiations, culminating in its historic 2025
The UN Security Council has made its decision: Morocco’s Autonomy Plan is now the official reference for resolving the Sahara dispute. This marks a major diplomatic victory for Rabat on the eve of the 50th anniversary of the Green March. It reshapes the regional balance, isolates the Polisario, and leaves Algeria facing a strategic choice, cling to a weakening front or, under U.S. pressure, take the path of pragmatic peace.
Less than twenty-four hours before the Security Council meeting, the final U.S.-drafted resolution on the Sahara reaffirms the primacy of Morocco’s autonomy plan and delivers a stern warning to the Polisario, despite last-minute amendments.