The timing of UN Security Council Resolution 2703, adopted on October 31, 2025, coinciding with the 50th anniversary of the Green March and the 70th anniversary of Morocco's independence, carries symbolic significance that transcends mere political coincidence. This temporal convergence necessitates recalling the historical path Morocco has traversed to complete its territorial integrity, beginning with the return of King Mohammed V from exile in 1955, continuing through the recovery of the southern provinces in 1975, and culminating in the growing support for the Moroccan autonomy initiative as a realistic solution to the regional dispute.

Researchers who spoke to Hespress agreed that the timing of UN Resolution 2703, coinciding with the 70th anniversary of King Mohammed V's return from exile and the 50th anniversary of the Green March, is not merely a coincidence; rather, it carries profound historical significance linked to the concept of building a modern state. The numbers – 70 and 50 – not only refer to pivotal events but also encapsulate two complementary paths: the path of liberation from colonialism and the path of completing territorial unity.

The participants noted that this temporal synchronization sends an indirect message that the international community recognizes the fruits of the long national journey, and that every decade of Moroccan history is met with diplomatic progress with a sovereign dimension.

Historical significance

Ahmed Yahdi, a secondary school teacher in Safi and a visitor to the Higher Teacher Training School, said that the UN resolution coinciding with the seventieth anniversary of King Mohammed V’s return from exile and the fiftieth anniversary of the Green March is not just a temporal coincidence; rather, it carries a historical significance that can be discerned from the regularity of the number five at every pivotal stage of completing Moroccan sovereignty, starting from 1955, passing through 1975, and reaching 2025.

Yahdi, in his statement to Hespress Electronic, saw that this numerical pattern is not without a symbolic dimension in the collective Moroccan memory, as it reflects a regular transition between three stages: liberation from colonialism, liberation of the land, and consolidation of international recognition, which makes this moment the culmination of a path that was not born of emergencies, but rather the result of a well-thought-out political and diplomatic accumulation.

The same speaker added that invoking the historical significance of the numbers 50 and 70 cannot be separated from a precise chronological sequence that testifies to the centrality of the number 5 in pivotal moments of contemporary Moroccan history; starting with the return of King Mohammed V from exile in 1955, then the declaration of independence in 1956, then the recovery of the Tarfaya region in 1958, then Wadi al-Dahab in 1979, in addition to organizing the Green March in 1975.

Yahdi considered that the coincidence of UN Resolution 2703 with the 50th anniversary of the Green March and the 70th anniversary of the return of Mohammed V adds a special interpretive dimension that may not be arbitrary, as it is read in light of a political temporal architecture that was formed through a long path of historical accumulation in which symbolic time is linked to field decisions and tangible sovereign movement on the ground.

The same researcher explained that the invocation of numbers related to fives and sevens in the course of the national issue is not a mere numerical coincidence; rather, in his estimation, it reflects pivotal moments in the state’s handling of the issue.

Yahdi pointed out that 2005 marked the beginning of practical thinking in presenting an advanced proposal for self-rule, followed in 2007 by officially submitting the initiative to the United Nations, which later became a key reference in international dealings with the conflict.

The same source added that 2015 witnessed a prominent symbolic moment with the visit of King Mohammed VI to the city of Laayoune and his delivery of a prominent speech there, at a time when the development model for the southern provinces was being restructured; this represented at the time a strategic direction towards consolidating sovereignty through structured projects.

After accumulation

Rachid Alami Mezouar, a researcher in the history and issues of North Africa, said that talking about the UN resolution cannot be separated from the accumulated historical dimension, stressing that the moment of its issuance carries within it dimensions deeper than mere temporal coincidence.

Al-Alami Mzwar added, in a statement to the Hespress electronic newspaper: “It is not enough to read the intersection of the fiftieth anniversary of the Green March with the seventieth anniversary of Morocco’s independence, but it is also important to remember that we are entering the second decade of the Moroccan autonomy initiative, which was proposed in 2007; this gives this timing a complex character in which symbolic time intersects with real transformations.

The researcher in the history and issues of North Africa added that “the timing of the UN decision with this historical moment cannot be separated from the regional and international transformations that the issue of the Moroccan Sahara is experiencing.”

The same speaker highlighted that the current stage is characterized by a new dynamic in international positions, especially after the successive recognitions of the Moroccan Sahara and the expansion of the base of support for the autonomy initiative.

He emphasized that this timing carries a dual political significance, on the one hand because it coincides with a long historical process of completing territorial unity, and on the other hand because it reinforces the pragmatism of the Moroccan approach to managing the regional conflict. He added that relying on precise figures such as 2007 and 2025 encapsulates the shift from a logic of demands to one of consolidation and appreciation in Moroccan diplomatic discourse.

The researcher, who hails from the southern regions, added that the significance of this timing is not limited to the symbolism of the dates; rather, it also stems from the convergence of national political will with regional and international transformations that have become more receptive to the Moroccan approach.

He considered that the current moment carries clear indications that the accumulation of historical and legal legitimacy, coupled with internal stability and diplomatic successes, has begun to translate into official positions supporting the self-rule initiative.

The spokesperson pointed out that this moment also comes in a regional context characterized by political turmoil in the neighborhood, which reinforces Morocco’s image as a rational and balanced actor in the region, stressing that linking the time context with international recognition reinforces the idea that the Moroccan proposal is no longer just a national demand, but an international option that enjoys credibility and realism.