Massad Boulos, President Donald Trump’s personal envoy, has declared that the United States is intensifying its push for a final resolution to the Western Sahara conflict, stressing that recent diplomatic efforts in Madrid represent a critical turning point.
In an interview broadcast on Monday, February 16, 2026, Boulos reaffirmed Washington’s “clear and unequivocal” support for Morocco’s sovereignty over the territory, characterizing the US position as a “higher ceiling” than the framework established by the United Nations. He emphasized that President Trump is personally invested in resolving the 50-year-old dispute and believes that negotiations should not continue indefinitely.
The envoy highlighted the significance of UN Security Council Resolution 2797, adopted in October 2025, which explicitly identifies Morocco, the Polisario Front, Algeria, and Mauritania as the key parties involved. Boulos described the resolution as a landmark decision that provides a clear roadmap for achieving a political solution based on Morocco’s autonomy initiative. Acting as a facilitator and mediator, the United States is working within this UN-led process to maintain momentum and ensure that all parties engage in serious, structured dialogue to move past the decades-long stalemate.
While maintaining the confidentiality of the specific discussions held behind closed doors in Spain, Boulos noted that the Madrid meetings served to test the intentions of all participants and re-establish a permanent framework for consultation. He pointed out that while Algeria and Mauritania support the process, they do not participate in the granular details of the discussions between Morocco and the Polisario. With a second round of high-level talks rumored for Washington in May 2026, the US envoy’s message was clear: the era of diplomatic complacency has ended, and Washington expects a pragmatic, expedited settlement that ensures regional stability and prosperity.
AK/fss/abj/APA