UN mediation efforts in Western Sahara face significant strain following the Polisario Front's denunciation of the UN Secretary-General's personal envoy, Staffan de Mistura. In an October 8, 2026, address to the Security Council, De Mistura argued that Resolution 2797 requires clarification, proposing that the Moroccan autonomy plan should serve as the primary basis for future negotiations to break the current political stalemate. The Polisario views this shift as a departure from the UN's impartial role and a move that sidelines the principle of self-determination in favor of the Moroccan position. Furthermore, De Mistura identified the Polisario's refusal to engage with the autonomy details as a key factor in the deadlock, a stance the movement rejects as unfair. On October 12, the Polisario emphasized the necessity of UN neutrality and threatened to reconsider its cooperation with the envoy. The upcoming Security Council meeting on October 31 is expected to determine whether the focus remains on self-determination or shifts toward the autonomy framework advocated by Rabat.