Morocco’s 2007 autonomy proposal claims global support grows
Recent diplomatic developments suggest that Morocco’s 2007 autonomy proposal is increasingly viewed as the only viable solution to the long-standing dispute over Western Sahara, according to the Fórum Canario Saharaui, in a report by Atalayar on April 23rd. This momentum is driven by three key diplomatic pillars: European support, an African diplomatic shift, and decisive leadership from the United States.
France has signalled a major turning point that reflects a shift in Europe’s overall position. While Paris has long maintained close ties with Rabat, the French Ambassador’s April 15th visit to Laayoune to inaugurate an educational facility marks a major step forward. Atalayar describes this as a clear manifestation of “operational normalisation” and a practical recognition of the Moroccan administration. This diplomatic evolution highlights a broader trend of shifting from military approaches to structural investments in the economy and education, enabling Morocco to position the region as a strategic hub between Africa and Europe.
The geopolitical balance in Africa has also transformed. Mali’s recent decision to withdraw recognition of the SADR and support Rabat’s plan marks a strategic breakthrough in the Sahel. Mali joins over 40 countries that have revised their stances. Many of them have even opened consulates in Western Sahara. The reversal in Mali’s position followed a series of diplomatic rows between Bamako and Algiers that reached a boiling point in April 2025 when Algeria shot down a Malian drone in a border town in northern Mali.
On a continental level, the isolation of the Polisario Front suggests that Morocco’s strategy centred on regional stability and shared development are now prioritised over the “status quo” of a frozen conflict.
Decisively, the United States has redefined the paradigm at the United Nations. US Ambassador Mike Waltz recently linked the continuation of the MINURSO mission to progress on a solution based specifically on Moroccan autonomy. This stance, supported by UN Security Council Resolution 2797, identifies the 2007 plan as the most “solid and credible” basis for negotiations. Washington’s firm position, which reportedly held even when Algeria offered major economic concessions regarding minerals and hydrocarbons. It signals that the US and its allies are moving toward a model of territorial integration and concrete results, effectively marginalising obsolete approaches to independence.
Maghrebi.org, Atalayar
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