Polisario Front Announces Readiness to Negotiate with Morocco

Rabat – Thursday, November 5, 2026

The Polisario Front has returned to discussing its readiness to enter into negotiations with Morocco, in statements that raise questions about the seriousness of this openness, especially in light of the Front's continued adherence to its traditional positions and the role played by Algeria in directing the course of the Sahara conflict.

The Algerian newspaper "El Massa" reported in its issue published this Thursday statements by Mohamed Salem Ould Salek, the official in charge of the Front's foreign affairs, in which he confirmed the Polisario's readiness to engage in a political process with Morocco, provided it guarantees what the Front calls the right to self-determination and independence.

However, these statements come in a complex political context, as the Kingdom of Morocco adheres to the Autonomy Initiative under its sovereignty as a framework for resolving the conflict, while the Polisario continues to reject this option, despite the growing international support for the Moroccan proposal.

Critics of the Front's position believe that its continued intransigence cannot be separated from Algerian policy, given that Algeria is the main political and diplomatic supporter of the Polisario and the host of its leadership and the Tindouf camps.

According to this reading, the Front's margin of maneuver remains linked to Algeria's positions and regional calculations, although asserting that the Polisario's decisions are issued exclusively by Algeria requires independent evidence.

This interdependence reinforces questions regarding the possibility of achieving actual progress in negotiations without a shift in the Algerian position, especially since Algeria insists on supporting the option of self-determination and independence and refuses to consider the conflict merely a bilateral dispute between it and Morocco.

Between the Polisario's announcement of its readiness to negotiate and its continued rejection of the Autonomy Initiative, the question remains as to the extent of the Front's ability to offer political concessions independent of Algeria's calculations. Reaching a lasting settlement requires genuine negotiating will from the parties concerned and a responsible approach to regional and international shifts, far from the logic of rigid positions.

In light of these facts, it seems that the future of the negotiations will not be determined by the Polisario's statements alone, but will also be influenced by Algeria's position and its readiness to contribute to creating the political conditions for a settlement that ends a conflict that has lasted for decades and affected the prospects for stability and Maghreb integration.