The draft UN resolution on the Western Sahara issue, presented by the United States, has caused a political upheaval within the Polisario Front. In response, the Front quickly announced the «expansion» of its proposal, which it had initially submitted in 2007 as a counter to the Moroccan autonomy initiative, despite not being prompted to do so by any party. The leak of the draft United Nations Security Council resolution on the Sahara, submitted by the United States to Council members, has caused visible unease within the Polisario Front. Initially, the movement rushed to question the document's authenticity before backtracking hours later, attempting to downplay its significance by asserting that Washington has supported Morocco since the beginning of the conflict and insisting that this position does not reflect that of the broader international community. In an apparent attempt to remain relevant amid rapid developments that sideline it diplomatically, the Polisario announced on Sunday the submission of an «expanded proposal text», described as a «gesture of goodwill» and a «response to Security Council resolutions». The separatist front's proposal echoes the one it submitted in April 2007, in response to Morocco's autonomy initiative presented to the Security Council that same year. Rabat's plan envisions granting autonomy that would allow Sahrawis to manage their own affairs under Moroccan sovereignty, through the creation of legislative and executive institutions specific to the Sahara. By contrast, the Polisario's approach remains rooted in the demand for a «self-determination referendum» under UN supervision, a mechanism the UN itself has long deemed unfeasible due to persistent disagreement over voter eligibility. The timing of the Polisario's latest «expanded» submission is politically charged, coming without any request from either the Security Council or the UN's personal envoy, Staffan de Mistura. Recent calls from the UN have focused instead on urging Morocco to further clarify and detail its autonomy plan, which continues to garner growing international support. Since 2007, Security Council resolutions have consistently praised Morocco's proposal as «serious and credible», while merely noting the Polisario's own submission. «The Cost of Peace» In his letter to the UN Secretary-General, Polisario leader Brahim Ghali said the new document seeks to «enable the Sahrawi people to exercise their inalienable right to self-determination through a referendum under the supervision of the United Nations and the African Union». Ghali preemptively declared the so-called «Sahrawi State's» readiness to negotiate with the «Kingdom of Morocco» to establish «strategic and mutually beneficial relations between the two countries». Seeking to soften the separatist discourse and replace threats of war with conciliatory rhetoric, Ghali added that the Front is prepared to share what he called the «cost of peace» with Morocco, in pursuit of a «just, peaceful, and lasting solution that ensures self-determination and restores regional stability». He argued that a peaceful resolution to the Sahara issue is «not only urgent but also possible if there is genuine political will to move beyond unilateral solutions and the status quo», indirectly referring to the Moroccan autonomy plan. Ghali reiterated the Polisario's readiness to engage in «direct, serious negotiations with the Kingdom of Morocco, in good faith and without preconditions, under UN auspices». The move, however, again seeks to position the Polisario as the sole party to the conflict, a stance Morocco rejects, insisting that Algeria, as the main sponsor of the movement, must be present at the negotiating table, a demand also shared by UN envoy Staffan de Mistura. Ultimately, the Polisario's latest announcement appears to be more of a media maneuver than a genuine diplomatic initiative, aimed at preserving relevance amid shifting international alignments. The new U.S. draft resolution on the Sahara calls on all parties to negotiate based on Morocco's autonomy proposal described as the «only solution» to the decades-long dispute. This comes as U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff revealed that the Trump administration is mediating a Morocco–Algeria peace agreement, expected «within sixty days».
