The final version of the US draft resolution on Western Sahara confirms the Kingdom’s diplomatic gains. Despite adjustments under pressure from China and Russia, the text reinforces the autonomy plan.
The diplomatic framework at the United Nations is pointing towards a new strategic success for the Kingdom regarding its Southern Provinces. The United States has unveiled the final version of the Security Council draft resolution on Western Sahara ahead of its official adoption. Despite some formal adjustments negotiated behind closed doors, the final draft preserves the essential core interests of Moroccan diplomacy. The text approves extending MINURSO’s mandate until 31 October 2027 while initiating its gradual transformation into a political mission. It explicitly rules out any role for the mission in organizing a referendum, thereby addressing long-standing requirements set out by the Moroccan government.
A major diplomatic setback for Algiers and the Polisario Front
The provisions finalized in the UN document are generating deep disappointment among Polisario Front leaders and their Algerian backers. The Security Council explicitly highlights the growing number of countries supporting the Moroccan autonomy initiative under the Kingdom’s sovereignty as the sole credible basis for negotiation. Furthermore, the resolution recommends broadening consultations to a wide range of representatives of the Sahrawi population, including civil society, residents of the Southern Provinces, and the diaspora. This opening puts an end to the armed movement’s claim to be the exclusive interlocutor. The text also insists on the mandatory registration of refugees in the Tindouf camps by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.
Cosmetic adjustments negotiated by Beijing and Moscow
Last-minute amendments introduced to the US draft stem from political compromises reached with China and Russia within the Security Council. These adjustments led to the removal of personalized references praising direct initiatives by US President Donald Trump, as well as references to unilateral negotiation cycles organized by Washington. These modifications aim to reaffirm the exclusive central role of the United Nations and Personal Envoy Staffan de Mistura in guiding the political process. However, these formal realignments do not alter the substance of the text, which establishes autonomy under Moroccan sovereignty as the path toward a lasting political solution.
