Staffan de Mistura, the UN Secretary-General’s Personal Envoy to Western Sahara, said he is “eagerly awaiting” the updated version of the Moroccan autonomy proposal, as it is the realistic basis on which the next negotiating process between the parties will be built.

This international stance comes in light of the recent UN Security Council resolution, which adopted the American draft resolution supporting the Rabat Plan presented in 2007, which, according to de Mistura, embodies “a new international momentum and a clear will to find a lasting settlement to this conflict that has lasted for five decades.”

This stage represents a new turning point and a diplomatic shift in the course of UN mediation, as De Mistura, through his expected contacts and consultations with the concerned parties, seeks to launch a round of direct or indirect negotiations based on the Moroccan initiative, in line with Security Council Resolution 2797 issued on October 31.

diplomatic momentum

Ibrahim Bilali Aswih, a member of the Royal Advisory Council for Saharan Affairs, said that the mediation role played by Staffan de Mistura remains contingent on the Security Council resolution that defines the parameters of the political process, which called on the parties to enter into a negotiating track without preconditions, and to capitalize on the current international momentum as an unprecedented opportunity to achieve a realistic solution, after the process stalled since 2019.

Aswih added, in a statement to the Hespress electronic newspaper, that the latest decision strengthens the position of the UN mediator and supports his endeavor, noting that “De Mistura’s statement stems from his practical approach, through which he builds his contacts with the parties on the basis of the Moroccan autonomy proposal, which is the basic reference for the Security Council resolution on the Sahara,” stressing that “his waiting to receive the updated version represents the beginning of his upcoming consultations with the other parties.”

The same political analyst explained that the timing of De Mistura’s statement reflects his desire to preempt any interpretation of Security Council Resolution 2797, especially since the general trend within the Council supports the Moroccan autonomy initiative; this is considered an unprecedented diplomatic victory for the Kingdom in establishing its sovereignty over its southern provinces, noting that “the Personal Envoy seeks to maintain the minimum level of diplomacy necessary for the continuation of dialogue with the various parties.”

Speaking about the future of the negotiations, the spokesman highlighted that if de Mistura wanted to make any changes to his plan, he would return to the Security Council to push the political process forward, in light of the growing role of the new US administration led by President Donald Trump, which is expected to “lead the next diplomatic track in this fabricated conflict, as hinted by US advisor Massad Boulos,” according to Aswih.

Moroccan bet

Aswih stressed that “the key to the next stage lies in the detailed and updated Moroccan proposal that His Majesty the King referred to in his historic speech after the Security Council resolution was issued,” explaining that “this new approach of the United Nations reflects, for the first time, the convergence of diplomatic paths on the issue,” and that “De Mistura’s talk about the proposals of the other parties remains contingent on the content of the Moroccan initiative, which has remained, since its presentation in 2007, an open negotiating proposal.”

The CORCAS member pointed out that the UN Secretary-General’s latest report on the Sahara highlighted a clear shift towards a realistic basis for launching negotiations, after De Mistura almost resigned last year due to the deadlock, before receiving, according to him, “signals from influential forces within the Security Council, led by the United States, about the need to close this file according to a new approach that takes into account the intersection of Western influence in the region.”

In this context, Ibrahim Belali Aswih said that “De Mistura’s statement is essentially in line with what the American advisor, Massad Boulos, stated when he expressed his confidence in His Majesty King Mohammed VI and his wisdom in managing this fabricated conflict,” noting that “this harmony in positions between Washington and the United Nations suggests that the new extension and the upcoming international consensus will be contingent on the Moroccan autonomy initiative, which will undoubtedly constitute the title of the next stage towards the desired final settlement.”

A breakthrough is expected

For his part, Mohamed Fadel Bekada, head of the Center for Political and Strategic Studies of the “Sahrawis for Peace” movement, noted that October 31 of this year represents a landmark day in the international process to bring the Sahara conflict out of a fifty-year tunnel.

In a statement to the Hespress electronic newspaper, Baqada stressed that Security Council Resolution 2797 represents a radical shift in the UN mechanisms seeking to find a legal formula that satisfies all parties to the conflict.

In this regard, the head of the Center for Political and Strategic Studies of the “Sahrawis for Peace” movement pointed out that “the vote of eleven out of fifteen member states in favor of the draft resolution is a tendency towards the Moroccan proposal of autonomy.”

The same spokesperson continued, saying: “The autonomy project, which Morocco put forward in 2007, has succeeded diplomatically in its international marketing, achieving important recognitions from the United States of America, France, Spain and the United Kingdom, in addition to international praise from Russia and China, and it reflects the consistent direction of Moroccan diplomacy under the wise leadership of His Majesty King Mohammed VI.”

Baqada pointed out that this transformation has had an impact on the economic and security dimension of the region, given that the Moroccan Sahara is a point of attraction for global investments in renewable energy, fishing, logistics and trade, as well as being a strategic area for promoting development and stability in Morocco, the Maghreb region and the Sahel, and protecting the rights of individuals, minorities, groups and states in accordance with international law and international legitimacy.

The head of the Center for Political and Strategic Studies of the Sahrawi Movement for Peace explained that the Security Council's adoption of the autonomy plan under Resolution 2797 constitutes a turning point, as it establishes the legal basis for a final solution to the conflict. This is also confirmed by UN envoy Staffan de Mistura, who expressed his eagerness to receive the updated version of the Moroccan autonomy proposal, paving the way for the launch of direct or indirect negotiations between the parties involved.

Mohammed Fadel Bakada concluded that the Moroccan autonomy project constitutes a bold step and a historic turning point, reflecting Morocco’s political and strategic ambitions to find an integrated solution that preserves Moroccan sovereignty, grants the Sahrawis broad autonomy, and balances regional interests, while taking into account the historical, political and economic particularities of the region.

He stressed that “the continuation of negotiations depends on the wisdom of His Majesty King Mohammed VI and Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune, within the framework of international efforts led by US Presidential Advisor Massad Boulos to reach a final solution to the Sahara issue.”