While John Bolton grapples with legal troubles in the United States, Christopher Ross has stepped forward to champion the Polisario's cause. The former UN Secretary-General's personal envoy for Western Sahara from 2009 to 2017 expressed in an article published by the International Centre for Democratic Initiative think tank, that «the resolution adopted by the United Nations Security Council on October 31 regarding the decades-long Western Sahara conflict marks a setback, despite the assertions of its proponents». Ross highlighted that «for over ten years, each resolution has reiterated the necessity for a "just, lasting, and mutually acceptable political solution that ensures the self-determination of the people of Western Sahara." However, this time, the resolution—under the guidance of the United States as the "pen-holder"—for the first time explicitly suggests that the autonomy plan proposed by Morocco in 2007, under Moroccan sovereignty, might be "the most feasible basis" for an agreement». The resolution permits Morocco «to continue reshaping the situation on the ground: settling Moroccan citizens in the territory, exploiting natural resources, and reinforcing administrative structures—all while showing little regard for an outcome that recognizes the self-determination of the Sahrawis», lamented the former U.S. ambassador to Algiers. Before adopting this position, Christopher Ross had stepped back from the Western Sahara issue, leaving John Bolton to repeatedly criticize President Donald Trump's policy on the matter.
