Overview
- The Council passed Resolution 2797 on Friday, the first to endorse Rabat’s autonomy offer as the basis for negotiations, in a text sponsored by the United States.
- Russia, China and Pakistan abstained, with Moscow saying the drafting was rushed and lacked transparency and that proposed amendments were not fully considered.
- Morocco’s prime minister Aziz Ajanuch welcomed the vote as a fair milestone for autonomy under Moroccan sovereignty and credited years of royal diplomacy.
- Polisario leader Brahim Ghali said the movement will shun any talks that do not ensure Sahrawi self-determination and warned unilateral approaches risk aggravating the conflict.
- Reporting from Spain notes Rabat’s parallel defense buildup, including a 2026 plan that lifts future commitments for the defense administration to about 157 billion dirhams, an increase of roughly 18 percent.