Recent rounds of talks held in Madrid and Washington on the Western Sahara dispute focused exclusively on the legal and political implementation of Morocco’s autonomy initiative under its sovereignty, according to information published by Assahifa Arabic.
Citing three unnamed sources it described as well-informed, Assahifa Arabic reported that discussions did not move beyond defining the framework for operationalising the autonomy plan in line with UN Security Council Resolution 2797, and that no alternative proposals were considered.
According to the outlet, a meeting in Madrid, sponsored by Washington and held at the U.S. Embassy, was attended by the United Nations Secretary-General’s Personal Envoy for the Western Sahara, Staffan de Mistura. The purpose of the round, the sources said, was to formally open consultations by presenting, for the first time, a detailed version of Morocco’s autonomy proposal.
A subsequent meeting in Washington, co-chaired by the United States and the United Nations, reportedly marked the start of discussions on the legal details of the 40-page proposal. Assahifa Arabic said the talks examined the plan’s legal architecture and political guarantees. During these exchanges, the United Nations was described as seeking what it termed “appropriate legal pathways” to preserve the principle of self-determination within the autonomy framework, while adapting it to the proposed model.
Separately, the publication reported that U.S. mediation efforts intensified through bilateral consultations led by Massad Boulos, an adviser to U.S. President Donald Trump. Boulos held extended one-on-one talks with Algerian Foreign Minister Ahmed Attaf, the outlet said, to encourage Algeria to engage constructively in negotiations aimed at a final settlement by 2026.
According to Assahifa Arabic, Washington presented what it described as a “comprehensive solution” requiring agreement from all parties, including Algeria, and emphasised the need to resolve outstanding Moroccan-Algerian disputes and move toward normalisation and deeper economic integration.
Among the ideas reportedly raised were the reactivation of the Maghreb-Europe Gas Pipeline linking Algeria to Spain via Morocco, the restoration of direct air links between the two neighbours, and a phased reopening of land borders. The U.S. side also discussed, according to the report, a commercial and legal framework that could allow exports from Algeria’s Gara Djebilet iron ore project to transit through Moroccan territory via the Atlantic port of Dakhla. Transboundary water resources between the two countries were also said to have been part of the discussions.
In addition, Assahifa Arabic reported that Washington offered what it described as strategic incentives to encourage Algeria’s engagement, including the possibility of renewing parts of its defence arsenal through direct agreements with the United States and enabling upgrades to its air fleet, which relies heavily on Russian aircraft. Enhanced intelligence and security cooperation was also reportedly discussed.
The outlet further said U.S. officials conveyed readiness to ease pressure related to congressional scrutiny of Algeria’s arms deals with Russia and its relations with Iran, provided that Algiers moved “swiftly and seriously” toward a final settlement based on the autonomy initiative.
At the same time, the publication reported that U.S. officials outlined potential consequences should negotiations stall. These included the possibility of sanctions linked to Algeria’s post-2022 arms agreements with Russia, notably the acquisition of Su-57E fighter jets, as well as a legislative proposal before the U.S. House of Representatives to designate the Polisario Front as a terrorist organisation, a move that could have significant implications for Algeria’s international financial dealings if adopted.
According to the same sources, Washington also signalled that economic measures could be considered, including sanctions targeting companies operating in Algeria, potentially including U.S. energy firms involved in oil and gas exploration, as well as travel restrictions and asset freezes against certain Algerian officials.
For its part, Assahifa Arabic reported that Algeria requested guarantees from Washington addressing what it described as long-term security concerns, particularly explicit confirmation of adherence to the 1962 borders and assurances that no future claims related to what it considers the “Eastern Sahara” issue would be raised.
