Sahara: UN Security Council briefed on challenges to UN-led political process
The UN Security Council was briefed on Tuesday behind closed doors by MINURSO Chief Alexander Ivanko and UN Sahara envoy Staffan de Mistura on latest developments on the ground, the stands of all parties to the conflict, and the challenges facing the UN-led process to achieve a lasting & peaceful solution to the Sahara issue.
According to diplomatic sources, members of the Council stressed the important role played by the MINURSO in maintaining stability in the region despite the provocations of the Polisario militias, backed by the Algerian regime. They also looked into the efforts engaged by the UN to find a pragmatic political settlement to the Sahara regional dispute.
De Mistura informed the Council about the outcome of his contacts with all parties to the conflict (Morocco, Algeria, Mauritania & Polisario) as well as with members of the Group of Friends of the Sahara (France, Russia, Spain, the UK, and the USA) in addition to his controversial trip to South Africa, which supports Algeria and its Polisario separatist group.
Morocco insists that there is no political process other than the roundtables with the participation of Algeria and that there is no solution apart from the Moroccan autonomy initiative offering a realistic solution to Sahara conflict.
Rabat also made it clear that no serious process could be launched at a time when the ceasefire is violated on a daily basis by the Polisario militias.
In an attempt to influence de Mistura’s report, Algerian foreign minister met with UN Sahara envoy shortly before his briefing at the Security Council in a blatant violation of diplomatic ethics and rules.
On 30 October 2023, the Security Council adopted resolution 2703 that renewed the mandate of MINURSO for another year until 31 October 2024. The resolution described again Morocco’s autonomy plan offered for the Sahara under its sovereignty as “credible and serious” and stressed the importance of continuing the round table political process with the participation of Algeria.
The text reiterated the UN call on all parties to the Sahara conflict to work together to achieve a realistic, practicable, enduring and mutually acceptable political solution based on compromise.
However, Algeria, which is a party to the Sahara conflict, continues to block the UN political process and refuse to resume the round-table talks.
The United States, the penholder on the Sahara issue, recognized Morocco’s full sovereignty over the entire Saharan territory in December 2020. Spain, former colonial power, Germany, France, and many other European, African, and Arab countries support Morocco’s territorial integrity and its autonomy plan offered for the Sahara under its sovereignty, saying the plan is the only viable and realistic solution.
