The Fourth Committee of the United Nations General Assembly adopted today, Thursday, its annual resolution on the Moroccan Sahara issue, with 152 votes in favor—including Morocco—against 2 votes, and 7 abstentions.

Typically, this draft resolution, introduced by the Senegalese Chair of the Fourth Committee, is adopted without a vote in accordance with a consensual practice established since 2006.

However, this year, the text was exceptionally subjected to a vote at the last minute following a request from the United States Mission. This applied to all 23 draft resolutions submitted to the Fourth Committee without exception, including those traditionally adopted by consensus or without a vote.

This U.S. step reflects the State Department’s approach aimed at mandating votes on all resolutions across the General Assembly’s six main committees without exception—including those concerning security and disarmament, sustainable development, humanitarian affairs and human rights, as well as legal matters and the UN budget.

Morocco voted in favor of this text alongside 151 other UN Member States for several key reasons:

First: This resolution adopted by the Fourth Committee re-affirms the historic Resolution 2797 of the Security Council, which established the Moroccan Autonomy Initiative as the sole basis for a solution within Moroccan sovereignty. The resolution also reiterates the responsibility of the four parties (Morocco, Algeria, Mauritania, and “Polisario”), calling on them to engage in good faith in the political process.

The explicit reference to Resolution 2797 holds particular importance, as its adoption on October 31, 2025, occurred after the Fourth Committee’s annual debate on the Moroccan Sahara, allowing it to be taken into account for the first time in the resolution adopted this morning.

Second: This resolution is consistent with those adopted over the past twenty years. It introduces no new elements, except for the significant reference to Security Council Resolution 2797.

Third: The resolution supports the political process led under the auspices of the UN Secretary-General and his Personal Envoy, aiming to reach a realistic, pragmatic, lasting, and mutually acceptable political solution, in accordance with relevant Security Council resolutions—particularly the last four cited in the UN report.

Fourth: The resolution reiterates its appreciation for “the commitment of the parties to continue showing political will and to work in an atmosphere propitious to dialogue in order to enter, in good faith and without preconditions, into a more intensive phase of negotiations, taking note of the efforts made and developments since 2006.” This notably includes unprecedented new developments such as the adoption of Resolution 2797 and the negotiation rounds held in Washington and Madrid, during which Morocco presented the advanced status of its autonomy proposal.

Fifth: This resolution in no way affects the status of the Sahara, as it reinforces the political momentum launched by the Security Council under Chapter VI of the UN Charter, placing the Moroccan Sahara issue within the framework of international peace and security, to be resolved strictly through dialogue and negotiation.