UK Endorsement of Moroccan Autonomy Plan: Reshaping Western Sahara's Geopolitical Landscape
The United Kingdom’s decision to endorse Morocco’s autonomy proposal for Western Sahara marks a pivotal moment in one of Africa’s most protracted territorial disputes. Announced on June 1, 2025, by Foreign Secretary David Lammy, this policy shift aligns Britain with a growing cohort of nations supporting Moroccan sovereignty over the contested territory. The move not only recalibrates the UK’s diplomatic posture in North Africa but also intensifies pressure on the Polisario Front—the Algeria-backed independence movement—and challenges the United Nations’ decades-long mediation framework. As Western Sahara approaches the 50th anniversary of its unresolved status, the British endorsement underscores the diminishing international appetite for prolonged conflict and the rising pragmatism favoring limited self-governance under Moroccan authority.
