Inside the secret US-led talks to solve the Western Sahara conflict
Inside the Secret U.S.-Led Talks to Solve the Western Sahara Conflict
Since last autumn, the U.S. has ramped up its diplomatic push to address the enduring dispute between Morocco and Western Sahara independence advocates. The initiative involved three clandestine sessions, marking the first time key figures in the conflict convened in years.
According to Middle East Eye’s diplomatic contacts, the process is encountering more challenges than anticipated. Similar to the Israeli-Palestinian standoff in Gaza, the Armenia-Azerbaijan rivalry, or the Thailand-Cambodia tensions, U.S. President Donald Trump aims to position himself as a mediator in Africa’s geopolitical landscape.
The Conflict’s Timeline
The Western Sahara conflict began over five decades ago, following Spain’s departure from its final African colony in 1975. The United Nations has classified the territory as non-self-governing, with Morocco controlling 80% of it since the 1980s. The remaining area is held by the Polisario Front, an armed movement advocating independence.
Approximately 600,000 people reside in the 266,000 sq km desert, most of whom are Moroccan citizens, including a significant number of military personnel. Indigenous Sahrawi people account for fewer than 50,000 residents, with around 165,000 living as refugees in Algerian camps.
Recent Diplomatic Developments
Throughout the past decade, the conflict has remained stalled. The UN-backed referendum plan for independence, a central demand of the Sahrawi movement, has yet to materialize. Morocco, meanwhile, has consolidated its control, curbed Sahrawi activism, and lobbied for international recognition of its sovereignty.
In late 2020, Trump endorsed Moroccan claims of sovereignty, aligning with the kingdom’s participation in the Abraham Accords and re-establishing ties with Israel. This move made the U.S. the first Western nation to support Morocco’s position in that manner.
By July 2024, French President Emmanuel Macron echoed this stance, triggering a diplomatic rift with Algeria. During his second term, Trump delayed reaffirming Morocco’s sovereignty claims for ten months before backing the resolution at the UN through
Resolution 2797, which states that “genuine autonomy under Moroccan sovereignty could constitute a most feasible solution” for Western Sahara, urging negotiations centered on Morocco’s autonomy proposal.
The resolution, passed on 31 October, received support from most UN Security Council members, with Russia and China choosing not to vote. Morocco’s autonomy plan, initially outlined in 2007, expanded from three brief pages to 38 after royal advisors urged a more detailed offer in late January. This revision enabled Massad Boulos, the U.S. Africa envoy, to host three negotiation cycles within a month—two in Washington and one in Madrid.
The most recent gathering, held in February, coincided with the Islamic holy month of Ramadan, a detail noted by UN sources. Moroccan and Sahrawi delegates had last met face-to-face in Geneva in March 2019, under UN supervision. The current talks aim to bridge differences, particularly regarding the extent of autonomy and the role of Sahrawi participation in the settlement.
