Sahara: Horst Kohler Resigns for “Health Reasons”; Morocco Regrets Decision

The UN envoy for the Sahara, former German President Horst Kohler, 76, has resigned from office “for health reasons,” announced Wednesday the UN in a statement.

Mr. Köhler informed on Wednesday the UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres of his decision to step down from his role for health reasons.

The Secretary-General deeply regretted the resignation but said he fully understood the decision and extended his best wishes to the Personal Envoy.

“The Secretary-General expressed his profound gratitude to Mr. Köhler for his steadfast and intensive efforts, which laid the foundation for the new momentum in the political process on the question of Western Sahara,” the statement said.

The Secretary-General is also grateful to the parties and the neighboring states for their engagement with Mr. Köhler in the political process.

Morocco also regretted Mr.Horst Köhler’s resignation.

The Kingdom of Morocco takes note, with regret, of the resignation of the UN Secretary General’s Personal Envoy for the Moroccan Sahara Horst Köhler, said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in a statement.

Morocco pays tribute to Horst Köhler for the efforts he made since his appointment in August 2017, and lauds the constancy, availability and professionalism with which Mr. Köhler has fulfilled his duties, the statement added, reiterating Morocco’s support for the efforts of the UN Secretary-General to settle the regional dispute over the Moroccan Sahara.

Morocco remains committed to achieving a realistic, pragmatic and durable political solution, based on compromise, within the framework of the Autonomy Initiative, the statement concludes.

Horst Kohler had been in office since June 2017.