The message is clear. In his latest report to the UN Security Council on the Sahara, dated October 1, 2026, UN Secretary-General António Guterres, encouraged by the resumption of direct dialogue between the parties, including Algeria, for the first time in nearly seven years, strongly urges all sides to “engage in concerted and good-faith negotiations” to “explore the possibility of genuine autonomy for the people of Western Sahara, which could represent the most feasible outcome, in accordance with Security Council resolution 2797 (2025).” The call marks a clear break with the deadlock that has long characterized the issue and places Morocco’s autonomy plan at the center of the political process.
The report states that during the first quarter of 2026, the Secretary-General’s Personal Envoy, Staffan de Mistura, co-facilitated three rounds of high-level direct talks bringing together all the parties concerned, namely Morocco, the Polisario, Algeria and Mauritania.
Guterres welcomes the fact that the adoption of resolution 2797 “gave new impetus to the political process,” while noting that the joint efforts by the UN and the United States were aimed at developing a concrete roadmap toward a just, lasting and mutually acceptable political solution.
While the Secretary-General notes that the momentum has at times been hindered by continued military activity and a persistent lack of trust, he stresses that genuine prospects for progress remain to finally resolve the regional dispute.
This intense diplomatic sequence comes as the United States has taken on a more active and structured role. Washington’s diplomacy has given the talks decisive momentum, effectively pushing Algeria to fully assume its responsibilities and actively participate in the discussions as a principal party directly concerned by the dispute, rather than as a nominal observer. This negotiating framework under US auspices has reshaped the process, pushing the parties toward a more realistic and pragmatic path.
In his report to the members of the Security Council, Guterres explicitly highlights and welcomes this strategic partnership with Washington. The UN chief thus formally recognizes the pivotal role played by the United States in driving the 2026 rounds of negotiations and providing technical and political support to the parties as they work toward a realistic solution.
This recognition by the United Nations echoes the consistent position of the United States, which serves as the penholder for Security Council resolutions on the Sahara. Washington continues to firmly recognize Morocco’s sovereignty over its southern provinces while increasing pressure, as reflected in recent statements by its senior diplomats and ambassadors to the United Nations, on all parties, including the Polisario, to abandon outdated status quo options and embrace the autonomy plan.
In keeping with the framework established the previous year, Guterres stresses the need to act strictly in accordance with Security Council resolution 2797 (2025). The Secretary-General recalls that all current and future initiatives must be firmly grounded in the resolutions adopted by the Council between 2018, with resolution 2440, and 2025, turning these parameters into an established legal framework.
Resolution 2797 indeed marks a historic turning point by explicitly establishing Morocco’s autonomy plan as the essential basis for serious and credible negotiations. It also institutionalizes the requirement for Algeria’s full participation in all round-table discussions, confirming its central role in both the origins of and efforts to resolve the conflict.
The October 2026 report extends and reinforces this institutional clarity. By describing autonomy as the “most feasible outcome,” the Secretary-General confirms that the autonomy plan under Moroccan sovereignty now constitutes the central framework around which constructive discussions are to take place, while setting aside what the report presents as outdated positions and unrealistic alternatives.
Guterres also states that any proposal must be part of a “genuine process of consultation” with local populations. This process of self-determination finds its fullest, most inclusive and democratic expression in Morocco’s autonomy plan, which would give the inhabitants of the Saharan provinces full management of their local affairs through their own legislative, executive and judicial institutions.
The Secretary-General recommends that the Security Council extend the mandate of MINURSO for another year, until October 31, 2027, “while taking into account developments in the political process.” The extension comes as the strategic context evolves. While the mission’s initial mandate focuses on monitoring, discussions within the Council point to a broader reflection on its future role. A reshaping of its responsibilities, moving from strict monitoring of the ceasefire toward supporting and facilitating the political transition and the effective implementation of the autonomy plan, remains firmly on the table.
