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Marrakech – In what observers might see as a significant diplomatic shift in Russia’s usual stance, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov explicitly stated Moscow’s openness to supporting Morocco’s Autonomy Plan for the Western Sahara, provided it secures approval from all parties involved in the long-standing dispute.
During a high-profile press conference with Arab media representatives in Moscow on Monday, Lavrov declared that Russia is ready to welcome Rabat’s Autonomy Proposal as “one of the forms of self-determination recognized by the United Nations,” marking the first time the Russian diplomat has openly expressed favorability toward the Moroccan initiative.
“The Moroccan Autonomy Proposal falls within the framework of forms of self-determination. The Moroccan self-governance choice can constitute a successful solution, as long as it adheres to international law and receives the approval of all parties,” he said.
“In that case, it will also be acceptable to Russia,” Lavrov affirmed, signaling a notable evolution in the Kremlin’s position ahead of the Security Council meeting scheduled for late October, which Russia will chair.
❗️ Msimamo wa Urusi kuhusu Sahara Magharibi umejikita katika Maazimio ya Umoja wa Mataifa, Lavrov atangaza.
Moscow inaunga mkono kanuni ya kujitawala kwa njia ya mazungumzo, sio hatua za upande mmoja, amesema Waziri wa Mambo ya Nje ya Urusi.
Mpango wa kujitawala uliotolewa na… https://t.co/dCvUZiSk29 pic.twitter.com/N2hy4mwADZ
— Sputnik Afrika (@sputnik_swahili) October 13, 2025
The Russian top diplomat stressed that Moscow’s position on the Sahara issue “is based on United Nations resolutions,” and that Russia supports the principle of self-determination through dialogue rather than unilateral measures. He described the Moroccan plan as “a realistic option to definitively close the dossier,” according to Russian press reports.
“For us, an acceptable solution would be one that satisfies all parties. And such a solution has been enshrined in UN Security Council resolutions,” Lavrov pointed out, adding that “the issue will be closed for us when not only one side, but all involved parties truly feel that a solution has been reached based on an honest balance of interests.”
“If a new resolution is developed that establishes other principles for settlement, we will be ready to discuss such initiatives with the understanding that they will be acceptable to all parties,” the Russian diplomat added, opening the door to potential shifts in the international approach to the territorial dispute.
Lavrov recounted that the Western Sahara dispute, which has lingered on the international agenda for nearly five decades, initially moved toward a self-determination referendum before circumstances changed.
“The issue of the dispute over the Sahara has been on the table for five decades, and the proposed solution at that time was the referendum option, but the reality changed later,” he stated firmly.
He acknowledged that while the United States under US President Donald Trump’s first term recognized Western Sahara as part of Morocco, the resolution of the dispute should rely on UN resolutions regarding the region’s autonomy.
Colonial rule ended with Spain’s 1975 withdrawal
The Western Sahara, a former Spanish colony on Africa’s Atlantic coast, returned to its rightful homeland, Morocco, following the end of colonial rule in 1975. Since then, Morocco has pursued the recovery and development of its southern provinces as an integral part of its national territory.
In 1976, the separatist Polisario Front militia – backed and hosted by Algeria – emerged to contest Morocco’s sovereignty, self-styling the so-called “Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic” (SADR). This group operates largely outside the territory and has relied on Algeria’s political, financial, and military support.
Morocco, by contrast, has focused on consolidating peace, investing in infrastructure, and advancing regional autonomy under its sovereignty – a process broadly seen as the legitimate and irreversible completion of decolonization in the region.
Mauritania withdrew from the dispute in 1979. In 1991, Morocco and the Polisario Front militia agreed to a UN-brokered ceasefire that envisioned a political process to consolidate peace and stability in the region. That same year, the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) was established to support a settlement framework.
However, the proposed referendum has never materialized due to Algeria and the Polisario’s persistent obstruction and manipulation of voter eligibility lists.
Morocco, meanwhile, has continued to advocate a realistic and forward-looking solution – the Autonomy Initiative under its sovereignty – which has since gained broad international support as the most credible and pragmatic path toward lasting peace.
The Kremlin’s tone signals quiet support for Morocco
The timing of Russia’s remarks carries particular weight, coming just days before the anticipated UN Security Council session devoted to discussing the latest developments in the Western Sahara and the future of MINURSO.
Current Security Council resolutions support a “realistic, pragmatic and sustainable political process based on compromise,” language that increasingly aligns with Morocco’s Autonomy Initiative.
Moscow and Beijing remain the two permanent Security Council members that have not yet explicitly backed the Autonomy Proposal for Western Sahara as the sole foundation for resolving this regional dispute, unlike Washington, London, and Paris.
However, the Eastern giants increasingly show signs of aligning, or at least converging, with Morocco’s territorial stance, drawn by Rabat’s balanced and pragmatic diplomacy.
Morocco’s diplomatic stance has been further strengthened by what observers interpret as a calculated act of diplomatic reciprocity. Last week, Rabat abstained from voting on a UN Human Rights Council resolution extending the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on human rights in Russia by one year – a text Moscow vehemently opposed and denounced as politically motivated amid the deepening rift between Russia and the West since the start of the Ukraine war.
This deftly calibrated move underlines Rabat’s growing strategic sophistication. It comes as Morocco seeks to secure Russia’s crucial abstention on the forthcoming UN Security Council resolution on Western Sahara – championed by the United States, France, and the United Kingdom. For Morocco, a neutral Russian vote would mark a significant diplomatic triumph, signaling tacit acknowledgment of its territorial integrity without provoking confrontation.
At the same time, Morocco’s consistent support for the “One China” principle has further cemented Beijing’s appreciation of Rabat’s foreign policy consistency. Both powers – Russia and China – value Morocco’s non-aligned pragmatism and its refusal to instrumentalize diplomacy for ideological ends, reinforcing the kingdom’s image as a steady and credible actor in an increasingly polarized world.
The Russian position has evolved methodically over recent years. Following King Mohammed VI’s significant visit to Moscow in March 2016, a Strategic Partnership Declaration was signed that carefully but explicitly addressed the Sahara issue, indicating serious consideration of Morocco’s position and respect for parameters defined by Security Council resolutions.
Since then, Russia has subtly adjusted its UN voting pattern, choosing abstention rather than opposition during key resolutions 2021 and 2023 renewing MINURSO’s mandate.
Global consensus is steadily shifting toward Morocco
According to a detailed June analysis by Policy Center for the New South (PCNS) researchers Fadoua Ammari and Rida Lyammouri, Russia’s current position is characterized by “constructive neutrality” – respecting the UN framework, opposing any unilaterally imposed solution, and tacitly recognizing the impasse of the referendum option.
The study titled “China and Russia facing the Moroccan Sahara question: Towards a convergence of strategic interests” points out that, despite being traditionally closer to Algeria, Russia has never vetoed Sahara-related resolutions and has consistently maintained a neutral attitude, thereby allowing the adoption of resolutions favorable to Morocco and the smooth renewal of MINURSO mandates.
China has followed a similar trajectory. In 2018, Beijing supported UN Security Council Resolution 2440, introducing for the first time the concept of a “realistic, pragmatic and lasting solution based on compromise.” Later, in October 2021, China voted in favor of Resolution 2602, initiated by the United States and perceived as favorable to Morocco’s Autonomy Plan.
The upcoming Security Council resolution is anticipated to be decisive, as it is expected to establish the Autonomy Plan under Moroccan sovereignty as the only foundation for a negotiated solution to close a 50-year-old dossier, according to regional political observers.
Late last month, US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau publicly announced the United States’ intention to support investments in Moroccan projects in the region.
This convergence of international opinion toward Morocco’s Autonomy Proposal represents a potential model for conflict resolution based on pragmatism, mutual respect, and regional integration, offering a stable path toward peace and sustainable development in a North Africa undergoing geopolitical reconfiguration.
