International Press Calls the UK’s Position on the Moroccan Sahara “Historic”

International media widely reported the joint statement between London and Rabat, in which the United Kingdom officially expressed its support for Morocco’s proposed autonomy plan to resolve the Sahara conflict. A decision many outlets described as a “historic shift” in this complex and sensitive issue.

This British support marks a significant change in the UK’s foreign policy, which had previously maintained a neutral stance. David Lammy, the UK Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, described the Moroccan proposal as “the most credible, viable, and pragmatic solution” to end the regional dispute.

Prominent media such as Le Figaro highlighted the strategic importance of this decision. According to them, this development reflects a major shift in the stance of Western powers, who now see the Moroccan plan as a guarantee of lasting regional stability.

The French newspaper emphasized that this decision aligns the UK with a Western bloc mainly composed of the United States, Spain, France, Germany, and the Netherlands. This alliance significantly weakens separatist claims, actively supported by Algeria, the main backer of the Polisario Front.

The British newspaper The Guardian also focused on the announcement, highlighting Rabat’s respect for territorial integrity and the strategic vision of the autonomy plan. Meanwhile, The Washington Post considered that this new British position further isolates the separatist project, which has become marginalized on the diplomatic stage.

Spanish-language media also echoed the news. The Spanish newspaper La Razón called the decision “monumental” and highlighted London’s commitment to investing five billion pounds in economic projects in Morocco, including its Saharan provinces, as proof of concrete and lasting support.

For El País, this change represents a “radical shift” after “nearly half a century of British neutrality” in the conflict. The paper emphasized David Lammy’s statements and the prospects for massive investments in the Moroccan Sahara.

The economic portal MarketScreener Spain pointed out that the UK becomes the third permanent member of the UN Security Council, after the United States and France, to officially support the autonomy plan under Moroccan sovereignty.

Even South American media, such as Alerta Noticias Temuco from Chile, reported the news. This outlet stressed the UK’s characterization of the Moroccan plan as the “most credible, viable, and pragmatic solution,” also mentioning UK Export Finance’s commitment to considering funding for projects in the Moroccan Sahara.

Beyond diplomatic symbolism, this decision reflects the strengthening of political and economic ties between Rabat and London. The two countries increasingly cooperate in areas such as regional security, counter-terrorism, energy transition, and infrastructure development in Africa.

Many analysts see this as the result of a long rapprochement process post-Brexit, in which the UK seeks to consolidate strategic partnerships in North and West Africa, with Morocco as a central and reliable interlocutor.

Finally, international media agree that the Moroccan Sahara issue is moving swiftly toward a diplomatic resolution, thanks to the growing consensus around the autonomy plan, now considered the only realistic solution to guarantee Morocco’s sovereignty and regional stability.