US grows impatient with Algeria’s position on Sahara Conflict

Massad Boulos,senior adviser to US President Donald Trump on Middle Eastern and African affairs,reportedly urged Algerian authorities to reconsider their stance on the Sahara conflict during a visit to Algiers in July,according to a report by Al Hurra.

The US-funded Arabic-language news outlet said Boulos pressed Algeria to either endorse Morocco’s autonomy proposal or to influence the Polisario Front toward a more flexible approach aligned with Washington’s position.

The initiative,kept out of official communications,reflects Washington’s intent to break the deadlock surrounding the Sahara issue and mitigate its destabilizing impact on the region.

The US has recognized Morocco’s sovereignty on the Sahara since 2020 and backs the autonomy plan as the sole solution to the conflict,a position that was later echoed by France,while a growing number of western powers including Spain,the UK,back Morocco’s position on the conflict.

In early September,Boulos met with UN envoy Staffan de Mistura in Washington,reiterating the US position: “Authentic autonomy under Moroccan sovereignty is the only viable solution for Western Sahara.”

These developments come ahead of a critical UN Security Council vote in October,which could mark a turning point. The upcoming resolution may exclusively endorse Morocco’s autonomy plan and revise the mandate of the UN mission in the region (MINURSO).