The Polisario Front reiterated its rejection of any involvement in the political process of the Sahara conflict based on the Moroccan autonomy initiative proposal, which was endorsed by the UN Security Council in Resolution 2797. The Front's leader, Ibrahim Ghali, said in a speech during a celebratory event that the Polisario would not give up its fundamental demand for"self-determination," stressing that "this option remains the only solution to the conflict."
These statements coincide with Ghali receiving the message sent by the Secretary-General of the United Nations, in which he reminds the Polisario Front of the need to engage in the political process in accordance with the UN resolutions that urge the parties to find a peaceful and sustainable solution to the conflict.
This confirmation comes in the context of ongoing calls by the Security Council and the Personal Envoy of the UN Secretary-General, Staffan de Mistura, to update and expand the Moroccan autonomy proposal as a framework for reaching a comprehensive and sustainable political solution.
In this regard, Aba Ali Aba Sheikh, a member of the Royal Advisory Council for Saharan Affairs, said that UN Security Council Resolution 2797, issued on October 31, 2025, constituted a decisive turning point in the process of settling the fabricated conflict over the Moroccan Sahara, stressing that “the Moroccan autonomy initiative has now become the internationally recognized framework for ending this conflict peacefully and sustainably.”
In an interview with Hespress, Aba Al-Sheikh added that this UN resolution places all parties before their responsibilities and obliges them to engage in a serious political dialogue that focuses on the essence and substance of autonomy, away from the logic of rejection or the discourse of victimhood, stressing that “the Kingdom of Morocco is committed to updating and expanding the initiative in accordance with international obligations and the UN agenda.”
The spokesperson pointed out that the Front’s refusal to participate in any political process after the UN Security Council resolution is a result of its disappointment with the outcome of the resolution, which made the Moroccan proposal the basis for negotiations to reach a solution that would end the chapters of the chronic conflict. He noted that “this declaration by the Front is a violation of the Security Council resolution, which called for entering into negotiations without preconditions and in good faith, and this in itself constitutes a challenge to the international community and the legitimacy of the UN Security Council resolutions.”
The member of the Royal Advisory Council for Saharan Affairs explained that the Polisario Front leadership faces major challenges at both the internal and international levels, considering that “the attempt to exploit the internal situation to justify its failure to adapt to the ongoing transformations, and to accuse major powers such as the United States and France, will not affect the settlement process supported by the United Nations and the international community.”
The advisory official stated that the Kingdom of Morocco is continuously working to strengthen bridges of cooperation and reconciliation with its neighbor Algeria, within the timeframe specified in the UN resolution, to ensure the success of the autonomy process and achieve lasting stability in the region, stressing that “this approach reflects Morocco’s commitment to resolving the conflict on the basis of no victor and no vanquished.”
In this context, Aba Sheikh stressed that the international community is giving the Polisario a historic opportunity to end the fabricated conflict through active participation in the political process, warning that “the continuation of the state of rejection and non-responsibility may lead to further political isolation and failure to confront the geo-political shifts in favor of Morocco.”
For his part, Said Bouchakouk, a researcher interested in development and field issues, noted that UN Security Council Resolution 2797 represents a pivotal point in the process of resolving the fabricated conflict over the Moroccan Sahara, and that autonomy constitutes the internationally recognized basis for ending this conflict.
In a statement to the Hespress electronic newspaper, Bouchakouk explained that this international gain obliges all parties to urgently begin serious negotiations to discuss the essence and content of the autonomy mechanism in all its aspects, away from the language of rejection and the discourse of victimhood, adding that “the Polisario’s continued adherence to its previous option reflects a state of confusion and internal tension within it, in an attempt to justify its failure to its supporters and to accuse major powers such as the United States and France of contributing to the consolidation of the Moroccan solution.”
The researcher noted that this situation represents a real test for the Polisario leadership in the face of the ongoing historical transformations, stressing that “the Kingdom of Morocco is committed to updating and structuring the autonomy initiative in accordance with the international commitment and the confidence of the major countries sponsoring the process, while working to strengthen bridges of cooperation and reconciliation with neighboring Algeria according to the timetable specified in the UN resolution.”
The same political analyst concluded that the international community has placed the Polisario leadership before a historic test and an opportunity to end the fabricated conflict on the basis of no victor and no vanquished, which obliges it to bear its responsibility and the consequences of any rejection of the UN resolution, noting that “failure to comprehend these facts will inevitably lead to further political isolation of this leadership.”
