Morocco has received strengthened international support for its autonomy plan in the Sahara, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres reported to the Security Council, while also warning of increasing military provocations by the Polisario Front.
In his annual report, covering July 2024 to June 2025, Guterres confirmed that the United Nations no longer considers a self-determination referendum a viable option.
Instead, he highlighted explicit backing from France and the United Kingdom for Morocco’s autonomy proposal, describing it as “the most credible, viable, and pragmatic basis” for a lasting political solution.
France had conveyed this position in July 2024 through a letter from President Emmanuel Macron to King Mohammed VI, while the UK expressed its support in June 2025.
The report also draws attention to a “continuing deterioration” of security in the region. According to the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO), rockets have been fired in recent months near Mahbas and Smara, some dangerously close to civilian areas and UN facilities.
The UN confirmed the attacks were carried out by the Polisario Front and issued formal warnings to the separatist movement.
Guterres further highlighted a worsening humanitarian situation in the Tindouf refugee camps in Algeria. Donor budget cuts have reduced food rations, pushing acute malnutrition to nearly 13% and stunting above 30%.
While Algerian authorities have mobilized funds to partially address the shortfall, the UN estimates an additional €104 million will be needed in 2025 to meet urgent needs.
Amid these challenges, the Secretary-General called on “all parties concerned” to shift positions and relaunch a political process “without delay.”
With the fiftieth anniversary of the conflict approaching, Guterres emphasized the urgency of negotiating a settlement to prevent an “untenable” escalation in a region already affected by instability across the Sahel and the Mediterranean.
The report signals growing international consensus in support of Morocco’s autonomy plan while underlining the risks posed by continued violence and a deteriorating humanitarian situation, stressing the need for renewed diplomatic engagement to secure peace in the Sahara.
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