The 15th session of the Morocco–European Union Association Council, which concluded Thursday in Brussels, marked a significant diplomatic victory for Morocco as the EU formally adopted a new common position on the Moroccan Sahara, recognizing autonomy as a realistic and viable framework for resolving the regional dispute.
In a joint communiqué signed at the end of the meeting by Morocco’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccan Expatriates, Nasser Bourita, and the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaja Kallas, the 27 EU member states agreed that “genuine autonomy could be among the most feasible solutions” to reach a definitive settlement of the Sahara issue.
The communiqué reflects a clear alignment with the United Nations-led political process, as the EU reiterated the UN Security Council’s call on all parties to engage in discussions “without preconditions and on the basis of the autonomy plan proposed by Morocco” in order to achieve a lasting political solution.
In this context, the European Union praised Morocco’s readiness to further clarify how autonomy under Moroccan sovereignty would be implemented, underscoring the credibility and seriousness of Rabat’s proposal.
The EU also welcomed the adoption of UN Security Council Resolution 2797 (2025), which strongly supports the efforts of the UN Secretary-General and his Personal Envoy to advance negotiations grounded in Morocco’s autonomy initiative.
While several EU member states had already expressed individual support for Morocco’s sovereignty over the Sahara and for the autonomy plan, the adoption of this position at the level of the EU-27 represents a qualitative shift, consolidating European consensus around Morocco’s approach.
This development forms part of the broader international momentum driven by His Majesty King Mohammed VI in favor of the Moroccanness of the Sahara and the Autonomy Initiative, a dynamic that culminated in the adoption of Resolution 2797 by the UN Security Council on October 31, 2025.
The new European stance confirms a shared EU position in support of a definitive resolution to the dispute based on autonomy under Moroccan sovereignty, and is expected to give fresh impetus to Morocco–EU relations, particularly as both sides prepare to deepen their strategic partnership in the period ahead.
