France has recognized a plan for autonomy for the Western Sahara region under Moroccan sovereignty as the only viable solution to the long-running dispute over the territory, President Emmanuel Macron announced in a letter on Tuesday.
The conflict, which dates back to 1975, pits Morocco, claiming Western Sahara as its territory, against the Algeria-backed Polisario Front, which seeks independence for the region.
As the former colonial power, France has balanced its diplomatic relations between Rabat and Algiers. Most of France’s Western allies support Morocco’s autonomy plan.
In his letter to Morocco’s King Mohammed VI, Macron stated, “For France, autonomy under Moroccan sovereignty is the framework within which this issue must be resolved.” He reaffirmed France’s clear and constant support for Morocco’s 2007 autonomy plan as the only basis for a just, lasting, and negotiated political solution in line with United Nations Security Council resolutions.
Macron emphasized that France views Western Sahara as part of Morocco’s present and future sovereignty and will act accordingly on both domestic and international stages.
The Royal Palace in Morocco welcomed the announcement as a “significant development in support of Moroccan sovereignty over the Sahara.” In contrast, Algeria expressed “great regret” and strongly denounced Paris’ decision, warning of unspecified consequences. Algeria has recognized the Polisario’s self-proclaimed Sahrawi republic and supported a United Nations plan for a referendum on independence, which never occurred due to disputes over voter eligibility and conduct. Recent UN resolutions have instead urged the parties to work towards a realistic, compromise-based solution.
Spain, the former colonial power in Western Sahara, declared its support for Morocco’s autonomy plan in 2022. The U.S., Israel, and Arab monarchies also back Morocco’s sovereignty over the territory, with 28 mostly African and Arab countries opening consulates there as a sign of support. The Polisario withdrew from a UN-brokered truce in 2020, but the conflict remains low-intensity.