In Madrid, far from media attention and under strict secrecy, the Sahara negotiations have entered their second day, revealing more than a routine diplomatic exercise. Behind closed doors at the US Embassy, a new balance of power is taking shape, with Morocco positioning itself as the central actor in a process now firmly led by Washington.
Initially scheduled for a single day, the talks were extended at the request of Massad Boulos, senior adviser to the US President for Africa and the Arab world, due to the depth of disagreements between the parties. The presence of Morocco’s Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita, his Algerian counterpart Ahmed Attaf, Mauritania’s Mohamed Salem Ould Merzoug, and the Polisario representative, under US and UN supervision, gives these discussions exceptional political weight.
Beyond the multilateral setting, the core of the negotiations reflects a clear American strategy: imposing a new negotiating framework. Morocco’s updated autonomy initiative, a forty-page document, is now recognized as the sole technical reference, in line with UN Security Council Resolution 2797. This marks a decisive shift away from decades of competing proposals and ideological narratives.
What distinguishes this phase is also the unprecedented level of confidentiality. Even official delegations remain cautious in their communications, aware of the sensitivity of the moment. Washington is shielding the process from media pressure, favoring discreet but outcome-oriented diplomacy.
Substantively, the United States no longer treats the Sahara as an isolated issue, but as a central element in the Moroccan-Algerian regional rivalry. The file has become a strategic lever to reshape North Africa’s geopolitical landscape, including prospects for diplomatic normalization and border reopening.
Early outcomes clearly favor Morocco: acknowledgment of its autonomy plan as the only reference, establishment of a permanent technical committee, and adoption of a roadmap leading to a framework agreement in Washington next May. Algeria, by contrast, faces unprecedented diplomatic pressure, balancing between maintaining its posture and engaging in substantive talks.
In this evolving equation, the United States emerges as the true architect of the settlement, while the UN plays a supportive role. And Morocco, backed by the coherence and credibility of its proposal, consolidates its position as the indispensable pillar of any realistic solution to the Sahara conflict.
