The draft resolution on Western Sahara, currently under discussion at the UN Security Council, has entered its final stage. In a closed-door session convened last night at Algeria's request, last-minute amendments were introduced to the text initially drafted by the United States, though without altering its core substance.
According to the document reviewed by Yabiladi, the Security Council is expected to urge the concerned parties, Morocco, Algeria, Mauritania, and the Polisario Front, to resume Round Table talks by the end of 2025, a process that has been stalled since March 2019. These talks would be based on the Moroccan autonomy plan, described in the text as "the most appropriate solution".
The draft further calls on all parties to engage "unconditionally" in negotiations before the expiration of MINURSO's mandate on January 31, 2026, with the goal of "ensuring genuine autonomy within the framework of Moroccan state sovereignty, while guaranteeing the self-determination of the people of Western Sahara".
A Warning to the Polisario
The U.S.-drafted text also calls for "a total and immediate ceasefire" and "respect for the military agreements concluded under UN auspices". It warns against "any escalation likely to destabilize the region", a message seen as directed primarily at the Polisario Front, which unilaterally declared the end of the 1991 ceasefire with Morocco under UN supervision on November 13, 2020.
However, the draft stops short of defining MINURSO's future, leaving the question open pending new negotiations to take place before the mission's mandate expires in January 2026. The outcome of these talks could determine whether the mission's mandate is renewed, redefined, or concluded.
In the meantime, MINURSO is tasked with "focusing its efforts on supporting the Moroccan autonomy plan".
The resolution also encourages the resumption of the Round Table talks in the United States and commends President Donald Trump's commitment to reviving the Western Sahara peace process.
The Security Council is set to vote on the draft tomorrow, Thursday, October 30. Its adoption appears likely, with the required nine votes secured, unless Russia decides to use its veto.
Behind the scenes, France has played a key role in rallying support for the Moroccan autonomy plan, particularly among hesitant countries such as Slovenia.