Algeria has reiterated its longstanding position on the Western Sahara dispute, emphasizing support for the right to self-determination of the Sahrawi people. In a statement on May 26, 2026, the Algerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs rejected the Moroccan autonomy plan as a unilateral solution, calling for a UN-led referendum as outlined in the 1991 ceasefire agreement.
The statement comes amid renewed diplomatic efforts by the United Nations to resolve the conflict, which has persisted since 1975. Algeria, a key backer of the Polisario Front, insists that any resolution must be based on international law and UN resolutions, including the right of Sahrawis to decide their future through a free and fair vote.
Morocco, which controls most of the territory, has proposed autonomy under its sovereignty, a plan supported by some Western nations but rejected by Algeria and the Polisario. The UN has not yet scheduled a new referendum, and negotiations remain stalled.
Algeria's clarification aims to counter what it sees as misrepresentations of its position in international media. The foreign ministry stressed that Algeria is not a party to the conflict but a neighboring state with a legitimate interest in a peaceful, just solution.
