Polisario to resume negotiations with Morocco in January after years of deadlock

The Polisario Front is set to resume negotiations with Morocco in mid-January 2026, aiming to revive the stalled peace process over the Moroccan Sahara, according to media affiliated with the group. 

Initial contacts between the two sides have already started, with the UN coordinating the groundwork for possible negotiations.

A senior Polisario “minister” told media that the Front is waiting for either a visit or formal invitation from UN envoy Staffan de Mistura before engaging in direct talks with Morocco. 

The “minister” said that any negotiations will follow UN Security Council Resolution 2797, adopted at the end of October 2025, which calls for a “realistic, lasting, and mutually acceptable” political solution. 

The “minister” added that the Polisario submitted a detailed proposal on October 20, presenting its vision for a final settlement, and is now waiting for a Moroccan response or a counter-proposal to restart the political process. 

He added that the Front is ready to participate in “serious and direct” negotiations under UN supervision once de Mistura concludes his consultations with all relevant parties.

The resumption of negotiations follows years of deadlock after the last major negotiations in Geneva in 2018. UN envoy Staffan de Mistura has been holding consultations with all parties to pave the way for a serious political process. 

Central to the nagotiation process is UN Security Council Resolution 2797, adopted at the end of October 2025. The resolution calls for a political solution that is “realistic, lasting, and mutually acceptable,” while maintaining Morocco’s autonomy plan on the table and also guaranteeing the principle of self-determination for the Sahrawi people. 

The UN resolution is a clear win for Morocco ahead of the January talks as it keeps Morocco’s autonomy plan at the center of the process, giving Rabat a strong negotiating position.