Algerian Foreign Minister discusses the Sahara issue with his Dutch counterpart

The Algerian Foreign Minister discussed, Tuesday, the Western Sahara issue with his Dutch counterpart. «Pleased with the phone call and the constructive consultations today with Mr. Stef Blok, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, over bilateral and multilateral issues of mutual concern, including Libya, Western Sahara, Mali and the Sahel», Sabri Boukadoum wrote on Twitter.

Pleased with the phone call & the constructive consultations today with Mr. Stef Blok, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, over # bilateral & multilateral issues of mutual concern, including Libya, Western Sahara, Mali and the Sahel. @ministerBlok pic.twitter.com/UhhjWekrVF

— Sabri Boukadoum | صبري بوقدوم (@Boukadoum_S) February 2, 2021

Politically speaking, the Dutch government is far from the Malian and Libyan issues. On the other hand, it is concerned by the regional dispute of the Sahara. Some of its MPs want products originating form Western Sahara to be labelled when imported to European markets.

Their first attempt was submitted in November 2012. They tried again following the decision of 12 November 2019 of the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) labeling products from Israeli settlements in the West Bank, exported to the EU. But so far they have not been able to convince the Dutch government.