The United Kingdom has once again emphasized its backing of Morocco's autonomy initiative, asserting it as the most realistic approach to resolving the long-standing conflict over Western Sahara. This affirmation marks a continuation of the UK's alignment with Morocco's stance amidst evolving international relations and priorities.
During a session in the House of Commons on Thursday, Hamish Falconer, the UK Minister for the Middle East and North Africa, articulated London's commitment to achieving a sustainable political resolution. He characterized Morocco's proposal as the most effective framework currently available for addressing this protracted dispute. Falconer underscored that the UK's position is guided by pragmatism and a genuine desire for enduring stability in the region. He stated, "We believe that our support for Morocco’s autonomy plan as the most credible, viable, and pragmatic basis for a lasting solution goes in this direction," thereby reinforcing the idea that this plan is gaining traction among Western and regional powers who view it as a clear pathway to ending a conflict that has lasted for over fifty years.
The autonomy proposal, first introduced by the Moroccan government in 2007, aims to provide Western Sahara with significant self-governance while remaining under Moroccan sovereignty. Although it does not fulfill the full independence sought by the Polisario Front, many of its proponents are framing it as a pragmatic compromise that could potentially break the long-standing diplomatic stalemate surrounding the issue.
Falconer also commended recent initiatives at the United Nations aimed at revitalizing the political dialogue concerning Western Sahara, notably referencing Security Council Resolution 2797, which he deemed an important advancement. Adopted in October 2025, this resolution extended the mandate of the United Nations peacekeeping mission, MINURSO, until October 2026 and placed renewed focus on Morocco's autonomy plan as the basis for negotiations. The resolution received robust support from various nations, including the UK, the United States, and several European and African countries, while facing no opposition, although notable abstentions came from China, Russia, and Pakistan, with Algeria opting out of the vote altogether.
Washington has consistently maintained that any viable resolution to the conflict must revolve around Morocco's proposal, a stance that is echoed by the Gulf Cooperation Council, which has frequently expressed support for Morocco's territorial integrity and endorsed the UN framework surrounding the autonomy plan. Furthermore, several European nations have recalibrated their positions in accordance with the recent resolution, reflecting a broader trend toward endorsing what many diplomats describe as a "realistic" solution.
The increasing international momentum behind Morocco's autonomy plan has significantly diminished the diplomatic leverage held by the Polisario Front and its primary supporter, Algeria, whose efforts to advocate for a referendum on independence have struggled to gain traction in the current geopolitical climate. As geopolitical interests shift and the call for conflict resolution intensifies, the UK’s recent endorsement adds to a growing consensus that the autonomy proposal may indeed be the most viable route towards achieving a lasting settlement in Western Sahara.
As reported by middle-east-online.com.
