Inside the secret US-led talks to solve the Western Sahara conflict

Inside the Secret US-Led Talks to Solve the Western Sahara Conflict

Since autumn, the United States has ramped up its initiatives to address the long-standing dispute between Morocco and Western Sahara independence advocates, orchestrating three discreet meetings that reunited the central parties for the first time in years.

Yet, sources from Middle East Eye suggest the process is proving more complex than anticipated. The challenge mirrors regional tensions such as those between Israelis and Palestinians in Gaza, or between Armenia and Azerbaijan, and even Thailand and Cambodia, with US President Donald Trump seeking to position himself as a peacemaker on African soil.

Washington aims to settle the Western Sahara conflict in a manner that pleases Morocco without diminishing Algeria’s influence. Algeria, a steadfast supporter of the Polisario Front—a liberation movement fighting for Sahrawi sovereignty since 1973—remains a critical stakeholder in the negotiations.

Over the past decade, Morocco has maintained control of 80% of the territory, divided by a defensive barrier erected in the 1980s. The remaining area is held by the Polisario Front, which has struggled to gain traction in the region. The 266,000 square kilometer desert is sparsely populated, with approximately 600,000 residents, most of whom are Moroccan citizens, including many military personnel. The indigenous Sahrawi population is fewer than 50,000, with around 165,000 living as refugees in Algerian camps.

Despite this, the conflict has remained stagnant for decades, as the UN’s referendum on independence, supported by Sahrawi activists, has yet to materialize. Morocco has consolidated its dominance in the region, curbing Sahrawi political activity, securing international recognition of its sovereignty, and presenting a 2007 autonomy proposal as a potential resolution.

In December 2020, Trump acknowledged Moroccan claims of sovereignty over Western Sahara, a decision that aligned with the Abraham Accords, prompting the kingdom to restore ties with Israel. The US was the first Western nation to take this step. Later, in July 2024, French President Emmanuel Macron followed suit, igniting a significant diplomatic rift with Algeria.

Upon returning to the White House for a second term, Trump delayed reaffirming his support for Moroccan sovereignty until October 2023. Through UN Resolution 2797, he advocated for Morocco’s autonomy proposal, stating that “genuine autonomy under Moroccan sovereignty could constitute a most feasible solution.” The resolution, adopted on 31 October, saw Russia and China abstain.

Originally drafted in 2007, Morocco’s autonomy plan initially spanned just three pages. However, the Trump administration encouraged Rabat to expand the proposal, which royal advisers—Fouad Ali El Himma, Taieb Fassi-Fihri, and Omar Azziman—lengthened to 38 pages by January 2024.

Equipped with this proposal, Massad Boulos, Trump’s Africa envoy, convened three confidential sessions within a month, from late January to late February. Two were held in Washington, while one took place in Madrid. Delegates from Morocco, the Polisario Front, Algeria, and Mauritania attended all meetings. The latest gathering, held in Washington on 23–24 February, coincided with Ramadan, a timing choice that frustrated UN sources.

Moroccan and Sahrawi representatives had not met face-to-face since March 2019 in Geneva, under UN supervision. The recent talks, however, mark a shift in diplomatic momentum, with the US pushing for a resolution that balances the competing interests of all parties involved.