AFP/FADEL SENNA The UN Special Envoy for Western Sahara, Staffan de Mistura, said there is “a real chance” to end the decades-old dispute between Morocco and the Algeria-backed Polisario Front. He called on the Polisario to make “historic compromises” to help reach a solution acceptable to both sides. He also expressed hope to bring all parties together again “before October” to agree on a framework deal.
Speaking during a closed UN Security Council meeting on Thursday, de Mistura said there is “real momentum” toward resolving the conflict in the territory, which was a Spanish colony until 1975.
He noted that “with a mix of vision, timing, and some good luck, there is real momentum in this process and an opportunity to settle this long-standing dispute.”
Morocco controls most of Sahara, which remains disputed between Rabat and the Algeria-backed Polisario Front.
Since the start of the year, the United Nations and the United States have organized three rounds of talks involving Morocco, the Polisario Front, Algeria, and Mauritania. According to de Mistura, these are the “first direct negotiations in seven years.”
He said the talks have started to address key details, including what a political solution could look like, a governance structure acceptable to both sides, and ways to ensure the principle of self-determination is respected.
De Mistura welcomed Morocco’s submission of a detailed version of its autonomy plan and its stated willingness to cooperate with the Polisario Front. The UN had long requested more details about this proposal.
The UN envoy urged the Polisario Front to make “necessary historic compromises” in the interest of future generations in the region. However, he acknowledged the group’s hesitation to fully engage, pointing to concerns about its future role in governing the territory and the security of its members.
De Mistura aims to reconvene all parties before October to reach a framework agreement, outline how it would be approved in line with self-determination, and define how it would be implemented during a transition period.
These talks follow a UN Security Council resolution adopted last October, backed by the United States, which expressed unprecedented support for Morocco’s 2007 autonomy plan, describing it as “the most practical solution” to end the nearly 50-year conflict.
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