UK Reaffirms Support for Morocco’s Autonomy Plan

Rabat– The British government has reaffirmed its support for Morocco’s autonomy proposal for Western Sahara, emphasizing its commitment to a negotiated, mutually acceptable solution.

Hamish Falconer, UK Minister of State for the Middle East and North Africa, confirmed the position in response to a written inquiry from Labour MP Will Stone.

“On June 1, Foreign Secretary David Lammy co-hosted the UK-Morocco Strategic Dialogue in Rabat, during which agreements were signed in the fields of education, health, infrastructure, and trade. This event marked a turning point in bilateral relations,” Falconer said.

Falconer added that Lammy had endorsed Morocco’s autonomy proposal for Western Sahara and assured that the UK would continue to support both the parties involved as well as the UN in reaching a mutually acceptable solution. “We continue to work together on these efforts and remain in regular contact,” he stated.

In August, Falconer met with a delegation from the Algeria-backed Polisario Front separatists in London as part of what they stated as ongoing diplomatic engagement.

However, later, during the June 1 dialogue in Rabat, Lammy formally announced the UK’s backing of Morocco’s Autonomy Plan — a stance later praised by King Mohammed VI on July 29 during his Throne Day speech.

The UK has now joined the growing international momentum supporting Morocco’s Autonomy Plan as the most serious and credible political solution to end the longstanding dispute over Western Sahara.

The announcement came during Foreign Secretary Lammy’s visit to Rabat, where he met with his Moroccan counterpart, Nasser Bourita. For the UK, the Moroccan initiative represents “the most credible, viable, and pragmatic basis for resolving the dispute,” and the country is determined to act in accordance with this position at bilateral, regional, and international levels.

The UK also reiterated its unwavering support for the UN-led process as essential, expressing “full support for the efforts of the Personal Envoy of the UN Secretary-General, Staffan de Mistura.”