Morocco's Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Omar Hilale, stated on May 27, 2026, that the continued inclusion of the Moroccan Sahara issue on the agenda of the UN Committee of 24 (C24) is anachronistic, given the adoption of UN Security Council Resolution 2797. He made the remarks during a C24 session in New York.
Hilale argued that Resolution 2797, adopted in 2025, reaffirmed the UN's support for the autonomy initiative proposed by Morocco as a serious and credible solution to the regional dispute. He emphasized that the resolution's language reflects a shift in international consensus, rendering the C24's traditional decolonization framework outdated for this dossier.
The ambassador called on the C24 to align its work with the Security Council's approach, which prioritizes the autonomy plan under Moroccan sovereignty. He noted that many UN member states have recognized Morocco's sovereignty over its Sahara and have opened consulates in the region, further supporting the Moroccan position.
Hilale's statement comes amid ongoing diplomatic efforts to resolve the Western Sahara conflict, with the UN-led political process continuing. The C24, formally the Special Committee on Decolonization, has historically debated the status of Western Sahara, but Morocco maintains that the issue is no longer a decolonization matter.
