Mali has officially endorsed Morocco’s autonomy plan for Western Sahara, marking a significant diplomatic shift in one of Africa’s longest-running territorial disputes.
The announcement was made on Friday by Mali’s Foreign Minister Abdoulaye Diop, who also confirmed that Mali no longer recognises the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic, known as the Polisario Front’s declared state.
Under Morocco’s proposal, Western Sahara would be granted a locally elected legislative, executive, and judicial authority, while Rabat would retain control over defence, foreign affairs, and religious matters. The Polisario Front, backed by Algeria, continues to demand a UN-backed referendum offering independence as an option.
Western Sahara, a vast desert territory roughly the size of Britain, has remained disputed since Spain withdrew in 1975, triggering decades of conflict between Morocco and the Polisario Front.
Mali’s endorsement follows similar moves by other African states, including Kenya and Ghana, which supported Morocco’s autonomy framework last year. Several countries have also opened consulates in Western Sahara, widely interpreted as support for Moroccan sovereignty.
The diplomatic shift comes amid growing tensions between Mali and Algeria. Last year, Mali accused Algerian forces of shooting down a Malian surveillance drone near the border region of Tinzaouaten, an incident Algeria said occurred after the drone violated its airspace.
Mali described the action as a hostile act, further straining relations between the two neighbours.
Separately, Mali, alongside Niger and Burkina Faso, has also backed a Moroccan initiative aimed at granting landlocked Sahel countries access to Atlantic ports, though implementation details remain unclear.
The latest endorsement adds momentum to Morocco’s diplomatic campaign across Africa, while deepening divisions in a dispute that has remained unresolved for nearly five decades.
