The unanimous position was expressed during an extraordinary joint session of Parliament chaired by Ahmed Touizi, speaker of the House of Representatives, and Mohamed Ould Errachid, president of the House of Councillors.
Leaders of parliamentary groups from both the majority and opposition, along with independent lawmakers, took turns addressing the chamber to express their support for the King’s response. According to a statement from the Royal Cabinet, MINURSO’s mandate ended on October 31, 2026, after the Security Council failed to renew it.
Although the resolution itself was rejected, Moroccan lawmakers welcomed the 11 votes secured by the US-drafted resolution supporting the autonomy initiative under Moroccan sovereignty.
Lawmakers chanted in unison: “Morocco is in its Sahara, and the Sahara is in its Morocco,” echoing a well-known statement by King Mohammed VI.
In their speeches, parliamentarians said a new chapter was opening in Morocco’s southern provinces following MINURSO’s departure. They reiterated the country’s commitment to defending its autonomy initiative under Moroccan sovereignty, while stepping up investment in the region and expanding parallel parliamentary diplomacy.
Read also : Sahara: Algeria laments MINURSO’s end after helping bring it about
The General Confederation of Moroccan Enterprises (CGEM), for instance, recalled that Morocco had launched a 150-billion-dirham development program for the Saharan provinces. According to the business federation, these regions recorded 8% growth last year, compared with an average of 4.7% across the Kingdom.
Mohamed Ould Errachid also highlighted the high voter turnout recorded in the Saharan provinces during the September 23, 2026 legislative elections.
Speaking to the press, Ahmed Touizi said the extraordinary session had provided an opportunity to hear “all the positions, which were unanimous in welcoming and expressing great pride, first and foremost, in the tremendous work His Majesty the King has accomplished on the issue of our territorial integrity, in light of a major resolution, Security Council Resolution 2797.”
He added that Morocco’s Parliament fully aligned itself with “His Majesty the King’s approach” and stood behind his efforts.
Read also : Moroccan Sahara: Nasser Bourita explains what the end of MINURSO’s mandate means
Touizi said Parliament would draw up an action plan to ensure that parliamentary diplomacy played “its full and fundamental role.”
On behalf of the institution, he also voiced the hope that MINURSO would withdraw from Moroccan territory, taking with it “its equipment and all the facilities it has in this region that is so dear to us.”
During the extraordinary joint session, leaders of parliamentary groups also denounced what they described as the Algerian regime’s direct role in prolonging the Sahara conflict.
Condemning Algiers’ diplomatic maneuvers and issuing a solemn call for the release of detainees held in Tindouf, Moroccan lawmakers said the end of MINURSO’s mandate marked a decisive turning point in the royal diplomacy drive. The mandate’s expiry was addressed by the UN Security Council at its meeting on October 30, 2026.
