Sahara: UN denies likely resignation of UN SG’s Personal Envoy as mere speculation

The United Nations has formally denied the possible resignation of Staffan de Mistura, the UN Secretary General’s personal envoy for the Sahara.

During his daily press briefing on Monday, Stéphane Dujarric, spokesperson for the UN Secretary General António Guterres, flatly denied the rumors relayed by certain media according to which Mr. Staffan de Mistura is considering resigning.

“We have been getting some questions about Staffan de Mistura, the Personal Envoy for Western Sahara, and the speculation that we have seen in some press quarters is that he is considering stepping down, and I just want to say that they are in fact speculation, and in fact, completely false,” the spokesperson said.

Stéphane Dujarric made it clear that “the Personal Envoy is planning to maintain and intensify engagements with all concerned and broader international supporters in a variety of formats, including regional visits and bilateral opportunities.”

“Mr. de Mistura appreciates the support of the members of the Security Council, as well as the Group of Friends for Western Sahara, as recently evidenced in his meetings in New York,” he added.

The United States is among the supporters of the UN Envoy. On May 14, the State Department, in a statement issued after a phone talk between Secretary of State Antony Blinken and his Moroccan counterpart, Nasser Bourita, said that the US Secretary of State renewed his country’s full support for the Personal Envoy of the UN Secretary General for the Sahara, Staffan de Mistura, as he intensifies the UN process toward an enduring and dignified political solution for the whole region.