31 October 2025 – “Don’t Forget Western Sahara” Platform
Just hours before the scheduled vote, the United States has introduced a deeply revised draft resolution on Western Sahara. According to diplomatic sources quoted by ECSaharaui, the new version makes significant political and legal adjustments, removing the reference to Morocco’s autonomy plan as the sole basis for a settlement and explicitly reaffirming the Sahrawi people’s right to self-determination.
The vote, initially expected on Thursday, was postponed to Friday, October 31, to allow for additional consultations among permanent members of the Council. Negotiations in New York were still underway on Friday morning, with diplomats not ruling out further last-minute adjustments before the final text is put to a vote.
The latest version circulated by Washington replaces the paragraph that Moroccan media had used as supposed proof of recognition of its sovereignty with a more balanced wording referring to a “genuine and applicable autonomy,” but without any exclusive or binding character. The document also includes a direct reference to the Sahrawi people and the Frente Polisario as legitimate parties to the political process—a mention that had been omitted in earlier drafts.
Another key modification concerns the mandate of MINURSO, which will be renewed for a full twelve months. All previous clauses suggesting a possible reduction or termination of the mission have been deleted, reaffirming the UN’s continued presence in the territory until a lawful and just solution is achieved.
The new draft also opens the door to additional proposals, including those from the Frente Polisario, and requests UN Secretary-General António Guterres to submit a strategic review of MINURSO’s future mandate within six months, taking into account the outcome of upcoming negotiations.
While Washington maintains cautious language to avoid any potential veto, several diplomats acknowledge that the final version represents a notable shift in the U.S. position. The earlier expressions describing Morocco’s autonomy plan as “the only serious and credible solution” have been removed, restoring the historical balance of UN Security Council resolutions on the issue.
As the final vote approaches, this development signals a clear diplomatic setback for Rabat, which had sought to turn the Security Council into an instrument of legitimization for its occupation. If adopted as it stands, the resolution will recenter the right to self-determination as the cornerstone of the political process and reaffirm the Frente Polisario’s status as the legitimate representative of the Sahrawi people.
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