After Morocco, the head of UN peace operations visits Algeria

The United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix was received, Monday, by the Algerian Foreign Minister Ahmed Attaf. During this meeting, the two diplomats discussed the situation of MINURSO and stressed the need of maintaining the Mission and the political process, Lacroix told media.

Lacroix’s visit comes as MINURSO head Alexander Ivanko visited Algeria on November 29 and held talks with senior officials and Minister Ahmed Attaf.

Ivanko did not go to the Tindouf camps to meet members of the Polisario. For his part, Jean Pierre Lacroix met at the end of November in Rabat with the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Nasser Bourita, and the Inspector General of the Royal Armed Forces (FAR).

For the record, on October 16, during his appearance before the Security Council, Alexander Ivanko referred to obstacles to peacekeepers movements. «Restrictions by Frente POLISARIO on freedom of movement continued to prevent MINURSO from maintaining a safe and reliable logistics, maintenance and resupply chain to its team sites east of the berm», he argued.