EU backs Sahara negotiations on basis of Morocco’s autonomy plan

The European Union has welcomed the UN Security Council Resolution backing autonomy under Moroccan sovereignty as a basis for talks to settle the Sahara conflict.

This marks a shift in the EU’s position which has for long echoed UN calls for a political,lasting and mutually acceptable solution,without defining the direction of negotiations.

The EU calls for a “fair,lasting,and mutually acceptable resolution to the conflict,grounded in Morocco’s autonomy proposal and respecting the UN Charter,” EU Foreign Affairs spokesperson Anouar El Anouni said.

“The European Union welcomes the extension of MINURSO’s mandate until October 31,2026,and expresses its readiness to support the negotiations led by the UN Secretary-General’s Personal Envoy,Staffan de Mistura,in line with the United Nations Security Council resolution,” he said.

The EU has renewed a farming trade deal with Morocco including the Sahara products.