Moroccan Sahara: Focus turns to UN Security Council’s next vote

The U.N. Security Council is expected to vote on a new resolution on the Sahara in late October, with attention focused on the wording of a draft circulated by the United States, the council’s lead negotiator on the file.

The proposed resolution comes a year after the council adopted Resolution 2797, which received 11 votes in favor, none against and three abstentions, while Algeria did not participate in the vote. China, Pakistan and Russia abstained.

The draft has renewed debate over the positions of the council’s five permanent members and 10 elected members, as well as the extent of support for Morocco’s autonomy proposal for the disputed territory.

The United States has supported Morocco’s position since 2020, while France and the United Kingdom have also backed the Moroccan proposal in recent years. Both countries voted in favor of Resolution 2797.

Russia and China, meanwhile, abstained from the 2025 vote. Their positions reflect their stated support for a U.N.-led political process, although their votes do not establish how they will vote on a new draft.

African members and Morocco’s diplomatic ties

Among the council’s African members, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Liberia have developed close ties with Morocco and opened consulates in Dakhla in 2020. Both countries have publicly supported Morocco’s position on the territory.

Somalia also voted in favor of Resolution 2797, which renewed the mandate of the U.N. Mission for the Referendum in the Sahara, known as MINURSO.

Bahrain has likewise expressed support for Morocco’s territorial integrity and opened a consulate in Laayoune in December 2020.

Asian and European positions

Pakistan abstained from the 2025 resolution. Some observers have linked Islamabad’s position to its longstanding emphasis on self-determination, particularly in the context of its dispute with India over Kashmir. However, an abstention alone does not establish Pakistan’s position on a future vote.

European council members Denmark and Greece voted in favor of Resolution 2797. Latvia, which began its first term on the council in January 2026, is also an EU member. Its position on a new resolution will depend on the draft’s final wording and its assessment of the issue.

Panama and Colombia

In Latin America, Panama has expressed support for Morocco’s sovereignty over its territory. In September, Panamanian Foreign Minister Javier Eduardo Martínez met his Moroccan counterpart, Nasser Bourita, in a meeting that included discussion of bilateral relations and Panama’s position on the Western Sahara issue.

Colombia has also changed its position. The country withdrew its recognition of the self-proclaimed Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic in August 2026 and expressed support for Morocco’s sovereignty over its southern provinces, according to the account presented in the source material.

Vote outcome remains uncertain

The positions outlined by Morocco’s partners suggest that the upcoming vote will draw close scrutiny, particularly over whether the final text maintains language supporting a political solution under U.N. auspices and references Morocco’s autonomy proposal.

However, predictions of an overwhelming majority in favor, with only two or three abstentions and no votes against, remain speculative until council members confirm their positions and the final draft is made public.

The Security Council has 15 members, and adoption of a substantive resolution requires at least nine votes in favor and no veto from any of the five permanent members.

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