Morocco Strengthens Western Sahara Position With Fresh Backing From 40 Countries

Rabat – A group of 40 countries has reaffirmed its support for Morocco’s “full and complete sovereignty” over its southern provinces and backed the Moroccan Autonomy Plan as the basis for resolving the Western Sahara dispute.

Morocco’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Omar Zniber, delivered the statement during the 62nd session of the UN Human Rights Council. The group said the Sahara issue is a political dispute that falls under the authority of the UN Security Council and stressed that genuine autonomy under Moroccan sovereignty could provide a viable solution. 

The 40 countries also expressed support for UN Security Council Resolution 2797, adopted in October 2025. The resolution calls for negotiations between the parties based on Morocco’s Autonomy Proposal and seeks a “just, lasting, and mutually acceptable” political solution. It also recognizes that genuine autonomy could be a feasible outcome.

The group welcomed Morocco’s decision to update and further detail its Autonomy Plan. It also recognized Morocco’s commitment to the return and integration of people from the Tindouf camps on the basis of equality among Moroccan citizens.

The statement further welcomed Morocco’s cooperation with the UN human rights system, including the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and the Human Rights Council’s special procedures.

The countries also pointed to the growing number of foreign consulates in the southern Moroccan cities of Laayoune and Dakhla. They described the diplomatic presence as a way to strengthen economic cooperation and investment and support development in the region.

The group said that settling the dispute would contribute to greater regional integration and development in Africa and the Arab world.

Growing international backing for Morocco’s position

The Geneva statement comes amid growing international support for Morocco’s Autonomy Plan. More than 130 countries have now backed the initiative.

Several major European powers have also endorsed Rabat’s position. France has described the Moroccan plan as the basis for a negotiated settlement and has said that the present and future of Western Sahara fall within the framework of Moroccan sovereignty. The UK has likewise called the plan the “most credible, viable, and pragmatic basis” for a lasting settlement. 

Denmark reaffirmed its support for the Moroccan initiative in September, describing it as a good basis for an agreed solution. Portugal has also backed the plan, while Spain continues to support Morocco’s approach. 

Morocco has also continued to strengthen its diplomatic presence in the territory. More than 30 foreign consulates are now operating in Laayoune and Dakhla, providing a visible sign of the growing number of countries engaging directly with Morocco’s southern provinces.

The shift has strengthened Morocco’s diplomatic position, particularly since the adoption of Resolution 2797, which made Morocco’s Autonomy Proposal the basis for the UN-led negotiations. 

The widening gap between Morocco’s growing international support and Algeria and the Polisario Front’s increasingly isolated position has strengthened Rabat’s diplomatic standing.