Inside the secret US-led talks to solve the Western Sahara conflict
Inside the secret US-led talks to solve the Western Sahara conflict
The United States has escalated its diplomatic push to settle the decades-old dispute between Morocco and Western Sahara independence advocates since the fall of 2023, arranging three confidential sessions that gathered the central figures for the first time in years.
Yet, according to Middle East Eye’s sources within the diplomatic community, the path to resolution remains fraught. Similar to how tensions between Israelis and Palestinians in Gaza, or between Armenia and Azerbaijan, have tested international mediation, Trump aims to position himself as a mediator on the African continent.
Washington’s strategy seeks to reconcile Morocco’s territorial claims with Algeria’s strategic interests, which support the Polisario Front—the armed group advocating for Western Sahara’s independence since 1973. Recent negotiations, held at the ministerial level, have yielded minimal progress despite frequent discussions.
UN diplomats noted that the US prioritizes swift action but faces significant disagreements, particularly over the extent of autonomy for the region and the role of Sahrawi citizens in finalizing the agreement. The conflict, which began over half a century ago when Spain vacated its last African colony in 1975, has seen the United Nations classify the territory as non-self-governing.
Since the 1991 ceasefire, Morocco controls 80% of the land, fortified by a defensive wall constructed in the 1980s. The remaining 20% is held by the Polisario Front. The 266,000 sq km desert is sparsely populated, with most of its 600,000 residents being Moroccans, including many military personnel. Indigenous Sahrawis number fewer than 50,000, with 165,000 living as refugees in Algerian camps.
Throughout the years, Morocco has reinforced its dominance in the area, curbed Sahrawi political activity, and lobbied for international recognition of its sovereignty. A 2007 proposal offering partial autonomy to Western Sahara was initially concise but has since expanded, especially after the Trump administration encouraged Rabat to present a more detailed plan.
At the end of his first term in December 2020, Trump endorsed Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara, a move that coincided with the kingdom joining the Abraham Accords and reestablishing ties with Israel. The US became the first Western nation to take this step.
Following Trump’s example, French President Emmanuel Macron adopted a similar approach in July 2024, sparking a notable diplomatic rift with Algeria. After returning to the White House, Trump delayed reaffirming his stance on Moroccan sovereignty for 10 months before backing it through UN Resolution 2797.
“Genuine autonomy under Moroccan sovereignty could constitute a most feasible solution”
the resolution stated, calling for negotiations centered on Morocco’s Autonomy Proposal. Adopted on 31 October, the text received support from most council members, with Russia and China choosing not to vote.
The 2007 autonomy plan, initially spanning three pages, has grown to 38 pages after royal advisers—Fouad Ali El Himma, Taieb Fassi-Fihri, and Omar Azziman—revamped its content. Within a month, Massad Boulos, Trump’s African envoy, convened three clandestine dialogues, two in Washington and one in Madrid, attended by delegations from Morocco, Algeria, and Mauritania.
Recent talks, held during the middle of Ramadan on 23–24 February, drew criticism from UN observers. Moroccan and Sahrawi representatives had not met in person since March 2019 under UN supervision, highlighting the challenges in bridging their positions.
