The U.N. Security Council on Friday approved a resolution endorsing Morocco’s sovereignty over the disputed Western Sahara, marking the strongest international backing yet for Rabat’s autonomy plan and aligning with the Trump administration’s long-standing position.
The U.S.-sponsored resolution, which passed with 11 votes in favor and three abstentions from Russia, China, and Pakistan, offers a major diplomatic win for Morocco and a shift in tone from previous U.N. actions. Algeria, the main supporter of the pro-independence Polisario Front, did not participate in the vote.
“The United States welcomes today’s historic vote, which seizes upon this unique moment and builds on the momentum for a long, long overdue peace in Western Sahara,” U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Mike Waltz said following the decision.
The resolution refers to Morocco’s autonomy plan as the “basis for negotiation” and omits any mention of a long-discussed referendum on self-determination that could include independence — a move strongly opposed by Algeria, Russia, and China. It states that “genuine autonomy under Moroccan sovereignty could constitute a most feasible solution.”
In a rare televised address after the vote, King Mohammed VI hailed the decision as a “historic step” and pledged to expand on Morocco’s autonomy proposal while calling for dialogue with Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune.
