Morocco’s King Mohammed VI on Friday hailed as “historic” a UN Security Council resolution endorsing his country’s autonomy plan for Western Sahara, a territory long mired in conflict between Rabat and the Polisario Front, backed by Algeria.
In a televised address, the monarch declared the decision “a victorious chapter” in affirming Morocco’s sovereignty over the Sahara and said it marked the beginning of a “definitive resolution” to the decades-old dispute.
King Mohammed expressed “immense pride” in what he called a milestone of “royal diplomacy,” adding that Morocco would refine and present a detailed version of its proposal to the UN in due course.
The plan, first introduced in 2007, grants Western Sahara self-governance under Moroccan sovereignty and has now been recognised as the “sole basis for negotiation,” according to the king.
Western Sahara, a mineral-rich former Spanish colony, remains one of the world’s most protracted territorial disputes, with Morocco controlling most of the land while the Polisario Front demands full independence.
The UN Security Council, acting on a US initiative that began under former President Donald Trump, shifted its stance to endorse Morocco’s proposal as a path toward a lasting settlement.
“The decision crowns years of royal diplomatic efforts, validated at the highest level of the United Nations,” a Moroccan diplomatic source told AFP.
In his address, King Mohammed extended an olive branch to Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune, calling for dialogue to “overcome differences” and build relations based on “trust, fraternity, and good neighbourliness.”
The move marks a pivotal moment in Morocco’s decades-long campaign to legitimise its claim over Western Sahara — and potentially, to close one of North Africa’s longest-running conflicts.