The reverberations of UN Security Council Resolution 2797 — which calls for “granting Western Sahara genuine autonomy under Moroccan sovereignty” — are still being felt in Morocco, Algeria and other countries that are directly involved in, or concerned with, the dispute. Across the region, questions abound about whether the resolution can actually be implemented, and what challenges Morocco may face as it navigates “autonomy within a centralized state.” The resolution extends the mandate of the UN Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) until October 2026. But for the first time since 1991, it omits any reference to a referendum on self-determination.
Roots of the Conflict
The Western Sahara dispute dates back to 1975, when Spain ended its colonial presence in the territory after nearly a century. Few years ago, the International Court of Justice acknowledged the existence of historical ties of allegiance between Morocco’s sultans and some Sahra tribes but emphasized at the same time the right of the territory’s population to self-determination — opening the way for competing claims of sovereignty over Western Sahara. Morocco responded by orchestrating the so-called “Green March,” when more than 350,000 volunteers marched into the territory. That was followed by the Madrid Agreement, which assigned the administration of the region to both Morocco and Mauritania. However, disputes persisted and subsequently, the Polisario Front, backed by Algeria and Libya, declared the Sahrawi Republic and launched a war of attrition against both Morocco and Mauritania.
In the late 1970s and 1980s, Mauritania withdrew from the conflict, and Morocco took control of the Oued Ed-Dahab area. Morocco then built a 2,700-kilometer sand berm to secure what Rabat called the “useful Sahara,” a territory that included urban centers, ports and mines. A ceasefire was reached in 1991, and MINURSO was created to oversee a referendum on self-determination. But disagreements over voter lists stalled the process, and the political track has remained frozen ever since. In 2007, after more than a decade of impasse, Morocco submitted to the United Nations its initiative for autonomy. The proposal would allow the territory’s residents to run their local affairs under Moroccan sovereignty. They would have elected institutions, a local parliament, an “administrative government” in charge of economy and development, and local police and courts. The central state, under the proposal, would retain sovereign powers over defense, foreign security, diplomacy and currency. “The UN resolution had effectively put an end to the referendum option as it made no reference to it at all. Instead, it calls on all sides to reach a plausible and mutually acceptable political solution,” said Samir Bennis, a researcher and former UN political adviser. He noted that Security Council resolutions have shifted toward “realism and pragmatism” over the past decade.
A New Phase, Divergent Reactions
Resolution 2797 passed with 11 votes in favor, while Russia, China and Pakistan abstained. Algeria did not participate in the vote. In Rabat, the decision was welcomed as a historic turning point. Moroccan King Mohammed VI said in a televised speech: “We are opening a new and victorious chapter in consolidating the Moroccan identity of the Sahara and putting an end to this fabricated conflict.” For their part, the Polisario Front welcomed the extension of MINURSO’s mandate but rejected in an official statement “any political process that is based on proposals aimed at legitimizing the Moroccan occupation.” It reaffirmed what it called “its inalienable right to self-determination.” Algeria, according to diplomats, adopted a calibrated stance — avoiding a direct confrontation with Washington while stopping short of endorsing Rabat’s autonomy plan.
Intissar Fakir, director of the North Africa and Sahel program at the Middle East Institute, says Algeria “expressed disappointment, but is trying to navigate the new reality cautiously. It wishes to maintain its long-standing position on the issue but wants less tension with the United States.” The United States played a decisive role in shaping recent developments on the Western Sahara, particularly the latest Security Council resolution. “U.S. recognition of Morocco’s sovereignty over Western Sahara was a turning point that enabled Rabat to secure backing from major powers, such as France and Spain. Both countries view Morocco as a reliable strategic partner and a gateway to Africa,” Bennis said.
Decentralization and Development
Despite diplomatic momentum, Morocco faces a domestic challenge: turning the idea of autonomy into a functioning institutional system. Bennis argues that “Morocco has managed the Sahara through a practical decentralization model for centuries, and what we are seeing today is a modernization of that tradition with contemporary institutions.” Fakir notes that “the advanced regionalization plan has not been completed yet. Autonomy in the Sahara could serve as a test of this model of governance before it is applied to other regions of the kingdom.” Observers say success will depend on Rabat’s ability to balance devolving powers to local authorities with preserving a cohesive central state — ensuring decentralization does not become dual governance, nor remain merely a political promise. Since 2015, Morocco has invested billions of dollars in infrastructure and development projects in the south, especially in renewable energy, ports and water desalination.
Rabat hopes to turn the southern provinces into an economic gateway to Africa through industrial zones and logistical hubs that attract foreign investment, particularly in green energy and tourism. Bennis said Morocco’s stability and international credibility make it a favored partner for Western governments — especially the United States, which sees the country’s southern regions as a strategic entry point to the African continent. The adoption of Resolution 2797 coincided with an announcement by the Moroccan Agency for Investment and Development of new projects that are worth $7.8 billion, half of them for renewable energy. The World Bank, however, cautioned that growth in investment will remain fragile without clarity on the territory’s final legal status. From an economic standpoint, Rabat views U.S. and European support for the UN resolution as a green light. France, the UAE and Poland have already announced funding and investments for projects in the south, while U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Chris Landau encouraged investors to enter the region under the autonomy scheme.
A Dispute Reframed, Not Resolved
Resolution 2797 does not end the conflict legally, but it reframes it entirely. The United Nations has not closed the Western Sahara file; rather, it has shifted the discussion from a question of sovereignty to a question of governance — with significant implementation challenges ahead.
Huda Boukili
Huda Boukili, an award-winning Moroccan investigative journalist based in the United States, holds a master’s degree in journalism and Institutional Media from the Higher Institute of Information and Communication in Rabat and a bachelor’s degree in economics from Cadi Ayyad University in Marrakesh.
