The Moroccan Sahara: Washington paves the way for understanding between Morocco and Algeria
Has the peace agreement between Morocco and Algeria been reached, as announced by the United States prior to the publication of Security Council Resolution 2797 in October 2025, when it spoke of the possibility of announcing it within sixty days?
- No peace announcement: the United States' gradual approach
- Resolution 2797 and the UN negotiating framework
- Visits and messages in Algeria: cooperation and regional security
- Recent developments in the US position
- Management of the issue and support for autonomy
No peace announcement: the United States' gradual approach
The reality is that this announcement has not yet been made, but what has emerged instead is a series of calculated political and diplomatic moves by the United States, which are moving within the realm of possibility and aim to gradually pave the way for an understanding between Morocco and Algeria.
In this context, it seems clear that Washington is approaching relations between Morocco and Algeria with a political approach based on managing tensions and creating conditions for understanding, rather than rushing to declare a peace agreement whose conditions are not yet ripe.
Resolution 2797 and the UN negotiating framework
Despite the absence of an announcement of the agreement, it is clear that these measures are part of the political process that followed the adoption of Security Council Resolution 2797 (2025), which considered Morocco's 2007 autonomy initiative as ‘basis’ for the upcoming negotiations between the parties to the conflict — Morocco, the Polisario, Algeria and Mauritania — and presented it as the most realistic solution to the most complex regional conflict in North Africa, which for decades has been at the heart of relations between Rabat and Algeria.
However, the expiry of the deadline without an effective agreement shows that the situation has not yet matured, given the existing complexities, which explains the adoption of an approach aimed at creating the conditions and bringing the positions closer together in order to start negotiations during the next period between the parties to the conflict, in accordance with the United Nations approach.
Visits and messages in Algeria: cooperation and regional security
Therefore, the visit of Moussa Fawaz, advisor to the US president on African and Arab affairs, to Algeria a few days ago is interpreted as part of this approach, especially after his statement during official meetings on ‘the common commitment to strengthen cooperation, particularly with regard to establishing peace and addressing regional and security concerns’. This signals a clear US focus on reducing tension between the two countries in order to implement the requirements of UN Resolution 2797 within the framework of the Moroccan proposal for autonomy.
Pauls' visit is therefore part of a gradual US strategy which, on the one hand, supports Morocco's position as enshrined in the latest UN resolution and, on the other, seeks to manage the controversy between Morocco and Algeria calmly, far from any escalation that could hinder the achievement of a practical and sustainable solution, based on its conviction that ending the conflict is essential to controlling stability in North Africa and protecting its interests, in a context of growing international competition and pragmatic alliances in the region.
Recent developments in the US position
Looking at developments in recent months, we see that Washington has taken a gradual approach to addressing the issue. It began by presenting a US draft resolution in October 2025 in favour of the Moroccan proposal, followed by support for UN Resolution 2797, and culminating in the continued reaffirmation of the autonomy initiative by US officials.
Following the same logic, the US position cannot be interpreted solely on the basis of statements, but also on the basis of discreet diplomatic manoeuvres, including the coincidence between the appointment of a new US ambassador to Rabat and the end of the US ambassador's term in Algeria, measures that do not appear to be isolated but rather reflect a diplomatic order in line with the demands of the next stage, largely linked to the Moroccan Sahara issue.
Management of the issue and support for autonomy
In short, the US statement on a peace agreement between Morocco and Algeria has not yet materialised, but the issue is now being handled gradually, combining political pressure and discreet diplomatic manoeuvres. Furthermore, the Moroccan proposal for autonomy has the continued support of the United States, recently reinforced by the European Union's position in favour of autonomy, reflecting a growing international consensus around the Moroccan solution and opening the door to greater stability in North Africa.
Amal Jabbour, journalist from Jordan