Algeria’s confused messaging on UN resolution 2797 deepens diplomatic isolation

Algeria’s response to UN Security Council Resolution 2797 backing Morocco’s autonomy plan has exposed deep contradictions within its foreign policy apparatus,further isolating the country diplomatically.

The resolution,adopted on October 31,2025,endorses Morocco’s autonomy plan as the basis for resolving the Sahara conflict and calls on all four parties,including Algeria,to engage in negotiations without preconditions while recognizing autonomy as the “most feasible outcome.”

Algeria did not participate in the vote. Its Permanent Representative to the UN,Ammar Bendjama,condemned the resolution as flawed.

In contrast,Foreign Minister Ahmed Attaf offered a more nuanced and contradictory interpretation. In interviews and official statements,Attaf suggested that Algeria might have voted in favor of the resolution had it not included references to Moroccan sovereignty.

This divergence between Algeria’s top diplomat and its UN envoy has raised questions about the coherence of the country’s foreign policy. While Bendjama rejected the resolution outright,Attaf appeared to acknowledge its legitimacy suggesting that Algeria had influenced its final form which emphasizes Morocco’s autonomy plan.

So,does Algeria want an autonomy in the void? Without a framework: Moroccan sovereignty?

The UN resolution identifies Algeria as a direct party to the conflict and urges it to participate in negotiations based on Morocco’s 2007 autonomy proposal.

Algeria has yet to announce whether it will participate in the negotiations. Analysts warn that continued ambiguity could violate Article 25 of the UN Charter,which obliges member states to comply with Security Council decisions.

Algeria’s term on the Security Council ends on December 31,2025. It is not expected to attend the strategic meeting scheduled for April 2026.

Algeria’s continued ambiguity and lack of willingness to engage on the basis of the autonomy plan may carry legal and political consequences. With the Polisario Front facing a proposed US designation as a terrorist organization,Algeria’s support for the group could further complicate its international position.