The United States has revised its draft UN Security Council resolution on the Sahara, removing proposed deadlines for restructuring MINURSO while retaining Morocco’s autonomy plan as the sole basis for negotiations, according to a UN source familiar with the discussions.
The changes follow objections from some Council members ahead of a vote expected Friday, October 30, on the future of the UN mission, whose mandate expires the following day.
Speaking to Hespress on condition of anonymity, the source said the initial American draft reflected Washington’s preference for a settlement centred on Moroccan autonomy and negotiations facilitated by the United States.
However, some Council members raised concerns that the proposed language could diminish the United Nations’ leadership of the political process.
The revised text restores greater prominence to UN Secretary-General António Guterres and his personal envoy, Staffan de Mistura, while maintaining a facilitation role for Washington, the source said.
The changes also affect MINURSO’s future.An earlier draft called for reducing the mission’s uniformed personnel by at least 50% by January 2027 and converting it into a special political mission under a fixed timetable.
According to the source, the revised version removes those automatic requirements, leaving decisions on staffing, resources and the mission’s future structure to subsequent assessments and recommendations from the UN Secretary-General.
On the political settlement, the source said the new wording describes genuine autonomy under Moroccan sovereignty as the most feasible solution, rather than the only feasible solution.
The draft nevertheless retains Morocco’s expanded autonomy proposal as the sole basis for further negotiations, according to the source.
It also preserves references to self-determination without reinstating a referendum as a proposed negotiating mechanism.
The source said the revised text calls for broader consultations with Sahrawi communities, including people in the region, the Tindouf camps and the diaspora.
It also reportedly requests completion of refugee registration in Tindouf within six months and condemns a May 5 attack on Smara.
Washington is expected to circulate a final draft after Thursday’s consultations, ahead of Friday’s anticipated vote.
Moroccan autonomy plan, Staffan de Mistura, Sahara negotiations, Tindouf refugee registration, UN resolution October 2026, Smara
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