On Wednesday, April 22, 2026, Austria expressed its support for United Nations Security Council Resolution 2797 (2025) on the Western Sahara dispute. The Austrian Foreign Ministry stated that a 'genuine autonomy under Moroccan sovereignty could constitute one of the most feasible solutions' to the long-standing conflict.
Resolution 2797, adopted in October 2025, reaffirmed the UN's commitment to a political solution based on compromise. It extended the mandate of the MINURSO peacekeeping mission and called for renewed negotiations between Morocco and the Polisario Front.
Austria's position aligns with a growing number of European countries that view Morocco's autonomy plan as a serious and credible basis for resolving the dispute. The plan, proposed by Morocco in 2007, would grant the Western Sahara region self-governance while remaining under Moroccan sovereignty.
The Polisario Front, which seeks independence for Western Sahara, has rejected the autonomy plan. The UN has not endorsed any specific proposal but continues to push for a mutually acceptable political solution.
