ESH
Stories (5)
Western Sahara: A Step Forward or Return to Stalemate? - ICDI
Summary: The article assesses Western Sahara diplomacy as of renewed talks after a long stalemate. Key points: - Diplomatic revival includes Polisario, Algeria, Morocco, and Mauritania at the negotiating table, with the US pressing for a rhythm to talks and backing UN Security Council resolutions. - The US favors Resolution 2797 and pushes the Polisario to consider autonomy within Moroccan sovereignty rather than a referendum for independence, despite the Sahrawi long-claim f
2026-05-25Diplomatic realism is ending a post-colonial stalemate in Western Sahara - Africa at LSE
Summary: - The Western Sahara dispute is shifting from a long-standing stalemate toward a framework centered on Morocco’s autonomy proposal. - UN Security Council Resolution 2797 (Oct 31, 2025) extends MINURSO and positions “genuine autonomy under Moroccan sovereignty” as potentially the most feasible solution, anchoring future talks around Morocco’s 2007 autonomy proposal. This narrows negotiation options and signals international alignment with Moroccan terms. - The realig
2026-05-25The Security Council and the Future of Western Sahara – With a ‘Group of Friends’ Like These…? – EJIL: Talk!
Summary: This EJIL: Talk analysis examines how Western Sahara policy in the United Nations Security Council has shifted toward a Moroccan autonomy framework. Key points: - The so-called Group of Friends (US, UK, France, Russia, plus Spain) shapes Security Council resolutions on Western Sahara. Since 2025, most members (except Russia) have expressed support for Morocco’s autonomy plan as the basis for a lasting resolution. - Policy shifts: - US and France have explicitly
2026-05-25Legal Sovereignty Versus Geopolitical Transaction — Algeria and the Polisario Front Confront Washington’s Accelerated Mediation | African Security Analysis
Summary: The Western Sahara dispute is shifting into a decisive Washington-driven mediation phase, reframing it as a broader geopolitics and energy security issue rather than a simple decolonization claim. Key dynamics: - Legal vs. transactional tension: Polisario Front insists on self-determination under international law; the US mediaton pressure faces pushback from a robust legal framework that still classifies Western Sahara as a non-self-governing territory. - Algeria’s
2026-05-25The future of Western Sahara becomes clearer in Washington
Summary: - The United States has strongly backed Morocco’s Autonomy Plan for Western Sahara since Trump’s presidency, framing it as the most viable basis to resolve the decades-long dispute. - The Autonomy Plan envisions broad Sahrawi self-government over education, health, culture, urban planning, and local development, while Morocco retains foreign policy, defense, and currency. - A growing coalition of countries (including the US, France, UAE, UK, Germany, Spain) and UN Se
2026-05-25