Spain’s Sánchez Reaffirms UN-Led Approach to Western Sahara at General Assembly

Spain supports a "mutually acceptable political solution within the framework of the United Nations Charter and Security Council resolutions" to the settlement of the Sahara issue, said Pedro Sánchez. "Spain will also continue to support the Sahrawi population in the refugee camps as it has always done, as the main international donor of humanitarian aid in this context," he added.

The President of the Spanish Government also stated that his country would "fully support the work of the UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy, work that we consider absolutely crucial." His remarks contrast with those of the Moroccan Head of Government made at the UN. "The solution should be based on the Moroccan autonomy initiative as the only solution to this conflict while respecting the territorial integrity and sovereignty of the Kingdom [of Morocco]," said Aziz Akhannouch.

Has Madrid revised its position on the Sahara? In March, Pedro Sanchez had sent a message to King Mohammed VI in which he had stated that his country "considers the Moroccan autonomy initiative, presented in 2007, as the most serious, realistic and credible basis for the resolution of the dispute." A change of position that had contributed to the warming of relations between the two countries. Conversely, it had caused the cooling of relations between Spain and Algeria, protector of the Polisario.