Spain confirms support for Moroccan autonomy proposal on Sahara

Monday 30 June 2025 - 16:06

By: Zahouani Ilham

Spain confirms support for Moroccan autonomy proposal on Sahara

The Spanish government has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting Morocco’s autonomy initiative as a viable and serious solution to the regional conflict over the Sahara. This stance underscores the continuity of Madrid’s significant policy shift on this sensitive issue.

This official reaffirmation came in response to a parliamentary question from the Popular Party in the Senate, where Senator José Antonio Monago Terraza expressed concerns about what he termed an “alignment in favor of Morocco,” warning about possible diplomatic repercussions for Spain in the region.

In its reply, the Spanish government referred to the joint declaration from April 7, 2022, resulting from the summit between King Mohammed VI and the Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez. This declaration forms the foundation of Spain’s official position, recognizing the Sahara issue’s importance to Morocco and supporting the autonomy proposal submitted to the United Nations as “realistic, serious, and credible.”

This stance marks a new chapter in Moroccan-Spanish relations based on transparency, mutual trust, and respect for each country's national interests. It represents a clear break from previous years marked by tension and fluctuations.

Despite ongoing pressure from certain Spanish political and media factions opposing official support for Morocco, the government led by Pedro Sánchez has consistently defended this position, viewing it as a sovereign, independent choice beyond partisan disputes and short-term political gains.

Madrid emphasizes that its partnership with Rabat is strategic and comprehensive, encompassing economic cooperation, security, counterterrorism, and irregular migration. The Spanish Foreign Minister, José Manuel Albares, recently described Morocco as a “friendly country and a key strategic partner” for both Spain and the European Union.

Spain’s position is particularly significant given its historical role as the former colonial power in the Sahara region, with deep understanding of the political, legal, and historical dimensions of the issue. Its explicit backing of Morocco’s autonomy plan represents a major political shift, moving away from the ambiguity that had long characterized Madrid’s approach.

This shift has encouraged other European countries to follow Spain’s lead, including France, which reaffirmed full support for Morocco’s proposal in summer 2024, and the United Kingdom, which took a similar stance in May 2025.

Observers view Spain’s position as a new balancing factor in the international debate on the Sahara, coinciding with an expanding circle of support for the autonomy initiative. It strengthens Morocco’s efforts to convince international partners of the seriousness and pragmatism of its solution, contrasting with separatist options deemed by Rabat as “outdated and unrealistic.”

As similar stances from other major global powers are anticipated, the issue appears to be moving toward a new phase of political and diplomatic resolution. This may redefine the United Nations’ approach to the Sahara question within a pragmatic vision gaining growing backing in the Security Council.