Adala UK expresses its profound concern regarding the adoption of United Nations Security Council Resolution 2795 (2025) on 31 October 2025, which extends the mandate of the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) until 31 October 2026. While recognizing the ongoing and important role of MINURSO in maintaining stability and monitoring the situation on the ground, the resolution reflects a troubling bias favoring Morocco and undermines the internationally recognized rights of the Sahrawi people, particularly their inalienable right to self-determination.

The Sahrawi people possess a fundamental, non-negotiable right to determine their own future. This right is enshrined in the UN Charter, reaffirmed in numerous Security Council and General Assembly resolutions, and consistently upheld in international law as a cornerstone of decolonization. Any political framework, negotiation, or unilateral proposal that prioritizes Morocco’s autonomy plan over the legitimate aspirations of the Sahrawi people represents a clear violation of international law and an affront to basic human rights.

Adala UK is particularly concerned about the exclusionary process through which this resolution was drafted, which marginalized the voice of the Frente POLISARIO, the sole legitimate representative of the Sahrawi people. By sidelining the Sahrawi perspective, the Security Council risks compromising the integrity of the UN-led peace process, eroding trust between the parties, and exacerbating tensions in the region. Such partiality threatens long-term stability in the Maghreb and broader Sahel region, and undermines the principle of impartial mediation essential to any credible resolution of the conflict.

During the Security Council deliberations, several member states articulated their positions clearly:

• Algeria refrained from voting, citing the imbalance of the resolution and its failure to uphold the UN doctrine of decolonization and the legitimate aspirations of the Sahrawi people.
• South Africa expressed strong reservations, emphasizing that the resolution privileges Morocco’s Autonomy Proposal while disregarding the Sahrawi people’s right to self-determination.
• China, Russia, and Pakistan abstained from voting, highlighting the lack of inclusivity, unbalanced language, and the exclusion of the Sahrawi perspective in the negotiation process.
• Denmark and Slovenia voted in favor of the resolution, but explicitly clarified that their support for extending MINURSO’s mandate does not constitute recognition of Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara, and reaffirmed that the Sahrawi people’s right to self-determination must remain central to any political solution.

Adala UK calls upon the international community, including the United Kingdom and all Security Council members, to uphold their legal and moral obligations by ensuring that:

1. The Sahrawi people are recognized as central participants in any political process affecting their future, in line with international law and established UN principles.
2. All negotiations and proposals fully comply with international law, the UN Charter, and the principles of decolonization, ensuring no unilateral imposition of political solutions.
3. The Security Council maintains impartiality, refraining from privileging one party over another, and upholding a framework that allows for a fair, sustainable, and mutually acceptable resolution.

Adala UK reiterates its full solidarity with the Sahrawi people and affirms that any legitimate, lasting solution to the Western Sahara conflict must respect their sovereignty, territorial integrity, and inalienable rights. We urge MINURSO and the UN Secretary-General’s Personal Envoy to continue their work in a manner that is genuinely inclusive, transparent, and in strict accordance with international law.

Peace and stability in Western Sahara—and in the wider Maghreb region—can only be achieved through justice, equality, and adherence to the foundational principles of the United Nations. Any approach that compromises these principles for short-term political expediency risks exacerbating conflict, undermining regional security, and eroding the credibility of the UN as a neutral mediator in decolonization processes.

Adala UK – Advocating Justice, Human Rights, and the Sahrawi People’s Right to Self-Determination

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