The United Kingdom has declared its support for Morocco’s proposal to grant limited autonomy to Western Sahara while maintaining Moroccan sovereignty over the region. The announcement, made on Sunday during a joint press conference in Rabat, marks a significant shift in British foreign policy and aligns the UK with other key global powers that have endorsed Morocco’s stance.
British Foreign Secretary David Lammy described Morocco’s plan as the most “credible, viable and pragmatic” path toward resolving the protracted territorial conflict. Speaking alongside Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita, Lammy highlighted the UK’s growing partnership with Morocco, particularly in areas of trade, security, and renewable energy.
“This conflict has gone unresolved for too long,” Lammy said. “A resolution would not only bring stability to Western Sahara but would also enhance the broader security of North Africa.”
He reaffirmed Britain’s support for the United Nations-led process aimed at finding a lasting solution to the dispute and called on Morocco to provide further details about the nature and scope of autonomy it envisions for the territory under its sovereignty.
Western Sahara, a sparsely populated stretch of desert along the Atlantic coast, has remained one of the most contested regions in Africa. Rich in natural resources like phosphates and fishing grounds, it has been classified by the United Nations as a “non-self-governing territory” since the 1960s. The conflict over its status began in earnest after Spain withdrew from the area in 1975, leading to competing claims by Morocco and the Polisario Front, a liberation movement seeking full independence for the Sahrawi people.
Currently, most of Western Sahara is administered by Morocco, while the Polisario Front controls a narrow zone near the Algerian border. Despite a 1991 UN-brokered ceasefire and a mission to organize a referendum on the territory’s future, no vote has taken place. Talks have stalled, and diplomatic momentum has remained elusive.
Morocco’s autonomy proposal, first introduced in 2007, envisions limited self-rule for the Sahrawi population under Moroccan sovereignty. While the plan has been endorsed by several of Morocco’s allies, critics, including Algeria and the Polisario Front, argue that it denies the Sahrawi people the right to determine their own future through a referendum on independence.
The UK’s decision to endorse the Moroccan plan aligns it with France and the United States—both permanent members of the UN Security Council who have previously voiced similar support. For Morocco, this endorsement represents a major diplomatic gain, reinforcing its position on the international stage and bolstering its campaign to legitimize its hold over the territory.
In recent years, Western Sahara has emerged as a focal point for foreign investment, particularly in sustainable energy and infrastructure. European and American companies have shown increasing interest in developing the region’s wind and solar energy potential, as well as its agricultural and fishing sectors. Morocco has poured significant resources into upgrading the territory’s infrastructure, aiming to transform it into a hub for renewable energy exports.
One of the most prominent examples of British-Moroccan cooperation is the XLinks project, an ambitious renewable energy initiative designed to transmit electricity generated in Morocco to the UK. The project, which involves undersea power cables stretching over 3,800 kilometers, is expected to supply power to up to 7 million British homes. It stands as a key pillar of the countries’ expanding economic relationship, which also includes trade in automobiles, fruits, and vegetables.
However, the UK’s policy shift has drawn sharp criticism from Algeria, a staunch backer of the Polisario Front. In a strongly worded statement issued on Sunday, Algerian officials denounced Morocco’s autonomy plan as lacking substance and incapable of delivering a fair resolution to the conflict.
“The so-called autonomy plan is devoid of any serious or credible foundation for settlement,” the statement read, reflecting deepening regional tensions between Algiers and Rabat.
The Polisario Front, for its part, has yet to formally respond to the UK’s announcement. The group has frequently challenged Morocco’s authority over the territory in international courts, contending that Rabat has no legal right to exploit the region’s resources while its final status remains unresolved.
With this latest development, the UK becomes the third major global power to back Morocco’s autonomy plan, adding to the growing list of countries recalibrating their positions on the Western Sahara conflict. Whether this shift will inject new momentum into the stalled negotiations remains uncertain, but it undeniably alters the diplomatic landscape surrounding one of the world’s longest-running territorial disputes.