Western Sahara : secret negotiations in Madrid under U.S. mediation

This Sunday, discreet negotiations are taking place in Madrid between Morocco, Algeria, the Polisario Front, and Mauritania, under the direct supervision of the United States, with the aim of reviving the political process on Western Sahara. According to diplomatic sources cited by El Confidencial, the meeting is being held at the U.S. Embassy in complete secrecy.

The talks are led by Massad Boulos, Special Representative of President Donald Trump for Africa, and by Michael Waltz, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations. Also taking part are the foreign ministers of Morocco, Algeria, and Mauritania, as well as the head of diplomacy of the Polisario Front. The UN Special Envoy for Western Sahara, Staffan de Mistura, is also participating in the discussions.

Growing U.S. Involvement

Since last autumn, Washington has taken the initiative on this issue, relegating the United Nations to a secondary role. The Madrid meeting follows a first secret encounter held in Washington two weeks earlier, about which little information was made public.

The United States now considers the resolution of the conflict a strategic priority. Massad Boulos recently stated that this issue represents a “top priority” for the Trump administration. In this context, he traveled to Algiers in January to meet President Abdelmadjid Tebboune, aware of Algeria’s decisive influence over the Polisario.

A New Moroccan Autonomy Proposal

One of the central elements of the negotiations is Morocco’s new autonomy proposal for Western Sahara. Initially presented in 2007 in a document of only three pages, it has recently been expanded into a 40-page text, drafted in January by several royal advisers, with the support of intelligence services and senior government officials.

This strengthened version responds to demands from the United States and several European partners, who had called for a more solid and detailed plan. However, according to initial U.S. assessments, the proposal remains insufficient. Genuine autonomy would require constitutional reform in a country that has long been highly centralized.

Moreover, Rabat fears that such concessions could fuel other regional demands, particularly in the Rif region, where social tensions have persisted since 2017.

Increasing International Support

Despite these limitations, Morocco has gradually strengthened its diplomatic backing. The European Union supported its autonomy plan for the first time last January. Spain had already taken a similar position in 2022, through a letter from Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez to King Mohammed VI. The United States and France have gone further by recognizing Moroccan sovereignty over the territory.

One of Rabat’s main objectives is to reduce or even dismantle MINURSO, the United Nations mission deployed in the area. Its budget has already been cut, and several positions have been eliminated in recent months.

Self-Determination Still Unresolved

MINURSO’s original mandate was to organize a self-determination referendum, as provided for in the 1991 agreements between Morocco and the Polisario Front. However, this plan never materialized due to political deadlock and a lack of firm international pressure.

Today, Algeria and the Polisario Front continue to defend the principle of self-determination, despite U.S. pressure in favor of the autonomy solution.

Madrid, a Discreet Diplomatic Venue

The choice of Madrid resulted from a unilateral decision by the United States, mainly for practical reasons. Spain’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs was not involved in organizing the meeting, although Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares took advantage of the occasion to meet with his Algerian and Mauritanian counterparts.

The Spanish capital is thus consolidating its role as a neutral venue for international negotiations, having also hosted trade talks between Washington and Beijing last September.

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