The United Nations Security Council on Friday31 October 2025, adopted what diplomats described as a landmark resolution marking a qualitative shift in efforts to settle the dispute over the Sahara conflict, expressing full support for the UN secretary-general and his personal envoy in facilitating negotiations based on Autonomy initiative under Moroccan sovereignty.

At its 10030th meeting, the Council voted for this historical resolution by 11 in favour, none against, and three abstentions. The resolution marked a significant shift in the Security Council’s tone on the five decades-long dispute and set the tone for the new framework to find a solution based on the Autonomy proposal.

In this resolution, the members states of the Security Council expressed full support for U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres and his Personal Envoy, Staffan de Mistura, in facilitating talks among the parties to achieve a “just, lasting and mutually acceptable political solution”. They also reiterated the calls on all sides, including Morocco, the Polisario, Algeria, and Mauritania, to cooperate fully with de Mistura’s ongoing consultations and start the negotiations with no pre-conditions based on the Moroccan Autonomy proposal.

In the resolution, the Council reaffirmed the importance of avoiding any actions that could threaten the fragile political process or regional stability. It also requested the Secretary General to update the Security Council within six months on the progress made in the negotiations to achieve the long awaited peace on the basis of the Moroccan’s Autonomy proposal.