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Sweden officially announced its support for Morocco’s autonomy plan as a solution to the fabricated regional dispute over Western Sahara, deeming it a credible and serious basis within the political process overseen by the United Nations.
This position was expressed in an official statement from the Swedish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, following a phone conversation on January 19, 2026, between Swedish Foreign Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard and Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita.
This announcement carries significant political weight, given Sweden’s symbolic status within the European sphere and its historical ties to human rights discourse and traditional support for the concept of “self-determination.” However, Stockholm’s new stance reflects a clear shift towards a realistic approach to the conflict, aligning with the conclusions of the Security Council, particularly Resolution 2797 issued on October 31, 2025, which recognized autonomy under Moroccan sovereignty as the most feasible solution to end this long-standing dispute.
Sweden’s support is not occurring in isolation but rather within a rapidly evolving international dynamic that bolsters the Moroccan initiative as the sole credible political reference. With Sweden joining this direction, the overwhelming majority of European Union countries align on the same line, alongside more than two-thirds of UN member states, deepening the isolation of parties clinging to options that no longer match geopolitical shifts or reflect ground realities.
This development carries clear political implications, notably that the international debate no longer revolves around the legitimacy of the autonomy proposal but rather how to implement it effectively, with political and institutional guarantees, within the framework of Morocco’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. It also reflects a growing conviction that the continuation of this dispute does not serve regional stability and is incompatible with the security and development challenges facing North Africa and the Sahel region.
With this stance, Sweden solidifies a qualitative shift in international engagement with the Western Sahara issue, affirming that the prospects for a solution are clearer than ever: a serious and realistic autonomy under Moroccan sovereignty, as a practical option for ending a protracted regional conflict.
