On April 23, 2026, British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper reaffirmed the United Kingdom's support for Morocco's autonomy plan for the Sahara region. The statement was made during a diplomatic engagement, underscoring London's consistent position on the issue.
The UK has long backed the Moroccan autonomy initiative as a serious and credible basis for resolving the Western Sahara dispute. Cooper's remarks align with previous British positions, including those expressed by former Foreign Secretary David Lammy in 2024.
Morocco's autonomy plan, presented to the United Nations in 2007, proposes self-governance for the Western Sahara region under Moroccan sovereignty. The plan has received support from several countries, including the United States, France, and Spain, as part of efforts to reach a political solution to the decades-long conflict.
The reaffirmation comes amid ongoing UN-led negotiations and diplomatic efforts to resolve the status of Western Sahara, a former Spanish colony. The UK's continued backing is seen as a boost to Morocco's diplomatic campaign for international recognition of its proposal.
