Madrid, Spain – The United States hosted closed-door talks in Madrid, Spain, this week involving Morocco, the Polisario Front, Algeria and Mauritania, aimed at advancing negotiations over the disputed territory of Western Sahara. The meetings, facilitated by U.S. And United Nations envoys, follow a recent United Nations Security Council resolution that endorsed Morocco’s autonomy plan for the region.
According to a brief statement released by the U.S. Mission to the United Nations, the discussions focused on implementing UN Security Council Resolution 2797 (2025) concerning Western Sahara. The resolution, passed in November 2025, supports Morocco’s proposed autonomy plan as a “realistic” solution to the decades-long conflict.
The talks, held Sunday at the U.S. Embassy in Madrid, reportedly extended into Monday after failing to yield immediate results. Spanish media reported that Spain was not involved in the discussions. Participants included foreign ministers from the involved nations, alongside UN Special Envoy for Western Sahara, Staffan de Mistura.
A key focus of the negotiations, as reported by Spanish newspaper El Confidencial, was the establishment of a permanent technical committee comprised of representatives from Morocco, Algeria, Mauritania, and the Polisario Front. This committee would be tasked with refining Morocco’s proposed autonomy plan.
Algeria, which hosts Sahrawi refugees and supports the Polisario Front, continues to insist on the principle of self-determination for the people of Western Sahara, according to El Confidencial. This position represents a significant obstacle to accepting the Moroccan plan as a final resolution.
Moroccan media outlet Hespress reported that the consultations resulted in the outlining of a “Madrid 2026 roadmap,” detailing the next steps in the negotiation process. This includes plans for a new round of talks in Washington D.C. Before April, intended to discuss the details of a revised Moroccan proposal to be formally presented to the United Nations.
Resolution 2797, passed last year with U.S. Initiative, explicitly endorsed Morocco’s autonomy plan, viewing it as the most realistic option for the disputed territory, despite Algerian opposition. The resolution states that the plan, initially presented by Morocco in 2007, “may represent a realistic and practicable solution” and can serve as “the basis” for future negotiations to end the five-decade-long conflict.
The resolution also calls on UN Secretary-General António Guterres and his Special Envoy, Staffan de Mistura, to continue negotiations “based” on this plan. It further extends the mandate of the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) for another year.
Western Sahara, covering 252,000 square kilometers on the northwest coast of Africa, is sparsely populated with approximately 567,000 inhabitants, according to UN and World Bank statistics. Morocco claims the territory as an integral part of its kingdom and offers autonomy under Moroccan sovereignty, while the Polisario Front, backed by Algeria, demands a referendum on self-determination, as stipulated in the 1991 ceasefire agreement.
King Mohammed VI of Morocco described the UN Security Council’s support for his country’s autonomy plan as a “historic turning point” in the long-running dispute. The autonomy plan proposes the creation of a local legislative, executive, and judicial authority for Western Sahara, elected by its inhabitants. However, it maintains Moroccan control over defense, foreign affairs, and religious matters.
Mohamed Salem Ould Besht, the Polisario Front’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, has stated that the Front may accept the Moroccan plan if It’s approved by the Sahrawi people through a referendum. Algeria firmly opposes this approach.
The Polisario Front was founded in 1973 with the aim of establishing an independent state in Western Sahara. The name “Polisario” is an acronym for the Popular Front for the Liberation of Saguia el-Hamra and Rio de Oro, in Spanish.
The current diplomatic efforts represent a renewed push to resolve a conflict that has remained largely intractable for decades. The U.S.-led initiative and the UN Security Council resolution signal a potential shift in international engagement, though significant hurdles remain in bridging the gap between the positions of Morocco and the Polisario Front, with Algeria playing a crucial role as a regional actor and key supporter of the Sahrawi cause.
