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On October 31, 2025, the United Nations Security Council adopted Resolution 2797 [3], extending the mandate of the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) until October 31, 2026. The resolution was adopted by 11 votes in favour, with abstentions from China, the Russian Federation, and Pakistan.

The resolution, drafted by the United States, reiterates full support for the efforts of the Secretary-General and his Personal Envoy, Staffan de Mistura, to advance negotiations among the parties (Morocco, the Frente POLISARIO, Algeria, and Mauritania) toward a “just, lasting and mutually acceptable political solution.”

The resolution places particular emphasis on Morocco’s 2007 Autonomy Proposal. The Security Council fully supports the efforts of the Secretary-General and his Personal Envoy and specifies that negotiations must proceed “on the basis of the autonomy plan proposed by Morocco,” presented to the Secretary-General on April 11, 2007, as “the basis of a just, lasting and mutually acceptable settlement [4].” Through this language, the Council identifies the Moroccan plan not merely as one option among others, but as a structuring framework for the negotiations to come.

As in the previous year [5], Algeria did not participate in the vote, arguing that the resolution departs from established UN decolonization doctrine.  Russia [6] also echoed these criticisms. The United States [7], by contrast, praised a “historic” text aligned with Morocco’s autonomy plan, while France [7] reaffirmed its support for Moroccan sovereignty. The United Kingdom framed the resolution as the start of a needed political process, and several members stressed that any settlement must uphold Sahrawi self-determination.

While formally limited to extending MINURSO’s mandate, the resolution highlights the deep geopolitical rifts surrounding the Western Sahara question. It underscores a growing divergence among Security Council members regarding the balance between territorial integrity, autonomy frameworks, and the legal imperative of self-determination.