Rabat – The Republic of Niger notes with great satisfaction the historic adoption by the UN Security Council (UNSC) of Resolution 2797 on October 31.
This resolution enshrines, within the framework of Moroccan sovereignty, the Autonomy Plan proposed by Morocco as a serious, credible, realistic, and sustainable basis for achieving a political solution to the regional dispute over the Western Sahara.
This stance was expressed by Minister of Foreign Affairs, Cooperation and Nigeriens Abroad, Bakary Yaou Sangaré, during his talks on Thursday in Rabat with Minister of Foreign Affairs, Nasser Bourita.
In this spirit, Niger fully supports the efforts of the UN Secretary-General and his Personal Envoy to facilitate and conduct the upcoming negotiations, based on the autonomy plan proposed by Morocco to achieve a fair, sustainable, and mutually acceptable solution, Sangaré pointed out.
In adopting Resolution 2797, the UNSC renewing the mandate of MINURSO, the UN Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara, until October 31, 2026.
The resolution represented a diplomatic turning point: for the first time, the Security Council explicitly embraced Morocco’s 2007 Autonomy Plan as a serious, credible, and realistic path toward a political settlement.
The vote passed with 11 in favor, three abstentions (Russia, China, and Pakistan), and no vetoes, marking a significant shift in the international framing of the Western Sahara conflict.
Morocco has steadily consolidated its position over recent years, as a growing number of countries voice support for the Autonomy Plan as the most realistic avenue toward a political settlement.
Several European partners have aligned with this approach, with Spain and Germany signaling their backing earlier, followed by France, which formally acknowledged Morocco’s sovereignty over its southern provinces last July.
In Africa, a significant number of states have publicly declared their position in support of the plan and established consulates in Laayoune and Dakhla, the main cities of the southern region.
MWN with MAP
