BAMAKO, Mali (AP) — In a significant development in the ongoing dispute over Western Sahara, the transitional government of Mali has publicly expressed its support for Morocco’s proposal to grant autonomy to the region while affirming Moroccan sovereignty. This endorsement marks a pivotal moment in the decades-long conflict between the Moroccan government and the indigenous Sahrawi people, as it aligns Mali with Morocco's efforts to establish a resolution to the territorial dispute.
The announcement, made on Friday, involved Mali withdrawing its recognition of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic, a move that underscores its commitment to Morocco’s autonomy plan. This shift is notable as it reflects an increasing wave of support from various African nations, as well as backing from the Trump administration in the United States and a majority of European Union member states. According to a statement from the Malian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the government asserted that “the Republic of Mali supports the autonomy plan proposed by Morocco as the only serious and credible basis for resolving this dispute and considers that genuine autonomy under Moroccan sovereignty is the most realistic solution.”
Western Sahara, a territory abundant in phosphates and comparable in size to Colorado, was under Spanish colonial rule until 1975. The region is claimed both by Morocco and the Polisario Front, which operates from refugee camps in southwestern Algeria and claims to represent the Sahrawi people who are native to the territory. The United Nations Security Council took a decisive step in October 2025 by adopting a resolution that placed Morocco’s proposed autonomy plan at the forefront of efforts to resolve the ongoing conflict. While this resolution does not clarify the final status of the territory, it characterizes the Moroccan initiative as “serious, credible, and realistic,” serving as a foundation for future negotiations.
It is important to note that, in a departure from previous resolutions, the recent text did not mention the possibility of a referendum on self-determination that includes independence as an option. This omission is particularly significant for the pro-independence Polisario Front and its allies, including Algeria, Russia, and China, who have long advocated for a different resolution to the conflict. As the situation develops, Western Sahara has recently attracted attention as a potential investment hub, drawing interest from European and American companies eager to engage in fishing, agriculture, and infrastructure projects aimed at facilitating the transmission of renewable energy sources such as wind and solar power.
As reported by greenwichtime.com.
