Gulf Cooperation Council countries reaffirmed their support for Moroccan sovereignty over Sahara and Rabat’s autonomy proposal on Friday at the United Nations, as Morocco builds on a series of diplomatic breakthroughs in the decades-long dispute.
Speaking on behalf of the six-nation bloc before the UN General Assembly’s Fourth Committee in New York, Bahrain’s representative welcomed Security Council Resolution 2797, describing it as a pivotal step toward a realistic, workable and lasting settlement based on Morocco’s autonomy initiative.
The diplomat also reiterated the Gulf states’ support for UN-led efforts to reach a final settlement that respects Morocco’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. The GCC comprises Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain and Oman.
Morocco’s proposal, submitted to the UN in 2007, would grant the Sahara region self-government under Moroccan sovereignty.
A major breakthrough came on October 31, 2025, when the Security Council adopted Resolution 2797 with 11 votes in favor and three abstentions. The resolution explicitly made Morocco’s autonomy proposal the basis for negotiations and stated that genuine autonomy under Moroccan sovereignty could offer the most feasible solution.
That development followed Washington’s recognition of Moroccan sovereignty over the territory in December 2020. The United States has maintained that position, and a joint statement with Morocco and Israel issued in September reaffirmed both Washington’s and Israel’s recognition of Moroccan sovereignty over the entire territory, alongside their support for the autonomy proposal.
France delivered another significant diplomatic gain in July 2024, when President Emmanuel Macron informed King Mohammed VI that Paris considered Sahara’s present and future to fall within Moroccan sovereignty. France also identified Morocco’s autonomy plan as the sole basis for reaching a negotiated political settlement consistent with Security Council resolutions.
Britain strengthened international backing for Rabat’s initiative in June 2025, endorsing it as the most credible, viable and pragmatic basis for a lasting resolution. The policy shift brought another permanent Security Council member behind Morocco’s proposed approach, while maintaining support for a negotiated agreement acceptable to the parties.
Morocco has also secured gains in Africa. On April 10, 2026, Mali withdrew its recognition of the Polisario-proclaimed Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic and endorsed Morocco’s autonomy plan, describing autonomy under Moroccan sovereignty as the most realistic solution. The decision marked a significant change in the West African country’s position.
The Gulf statement reinforces this expanding diplomatic support as the UN continues its efforts to secure a settlement. Resolution 2797 extended the mandate of MINURSO, the UN peacekeeping mission in Sahara, through October 31, 2026, and called on the parties to enter negotiations without preconditions using Morocco’s autonomy proposal as their basis.
