Sahara: an opportunity for peace

Movimiento Saharauis por la Paz

Hamoud Ghaillani

08 de febrero de 2026 (10:16 h.)

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The news of the meeting held in Madrid between Morocco and the Polisario Front under the auspices of the United States confirms the renewed international interest in the Sahara issue. This diplomatic initiative is important. But it raises a key question: how can we hope for a lasting solution if the process continues to ignore the true diversity of Sahrawi society?

For too long, the debate has been locked into a simplistic framework pitting two visions against each other as mutually exclusive. However, the reality in the Sahara has changed profoundly. The Sahrawi people are neither uniform nor static. A growing majority now aspires to a peaceful, pragmatic solution that is in line with regional political realities. This aspiration finds its most credible expression in the Sahrawi Movement for Peace (MSP), which embodies a responsible and constructive alternative.

United Nations Security Council Resolution 2797 sets out a clear framework: to reach a mutually acceptable political solution based on Morocco's autonomy proposal. This approach is fully in line with that of the MSP, which since its creation has advocated a historic compromise based on autonomy, local democracy, and the preservation of the cultural and political rights of the Sahrawi people.

Faced with entrenched positions and claims of exclusive representation, the MSP recalls a fundamental truth: no organization can confiscate the voice of an entire people. The Sahara is pluralistic, and this diversity must be recognized if true peace is to be built. The MSP proposes a realistic and balanced middle way, far from the logic of confrontation that has unnecessarily prolonged the conflict.

The Madrid meeting must not repeat the deadlocks of the past. A credible solution requires the inclusion of all Sahrawi forces sincerely committed to peace. By advocating dialogue, compromise, and a spirit of responsibility, the MSP opens up a new perspective: that of a political settlement that guarantees the dignity of the Sahrawi people while ensuring stability in the Maghreb.

In the current international context, autonomy clearly appears to be the most realistic option and the one most likely to turn the page on the conflict once and for all. The time for dogma and exclusivity is over. The future of the Sahara will be built with those who favor pragmatism and reconciliation.

In this regard, the Sahrawi Movement for Peace represents a truly historic opportunity today. Listening to its voice and integrating its vision into ongoing diplomatic efforts is not only desirable: it is an essential condition for finally achieving a just and lasting peace that will benefit the entire region.