Sahara : Algeria reiterates refusal to participate in UN round tables

At the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly on Monday, September 30, Algeria called for the «decolonization of Western Sahara», according to an official media source. The Algerian Foreign Minister stated, «The colonization of this region is bound to end, no matter how long it takes. The legitimate rights of the Saharawi people will eventually be fulfilled».

He added, «Algeria rejects any attempt to impose a fait accompli. The Saharawi people will continue to fight for their right to self-determination, and Algeria will stand by them in their struggle».

In his speech, Ahmed Attaf reaffirmed Algeria's refusal to participate in the UN roundtables, as it had in the December 2018 and March 2019 sessions in Geneva. Instead, he called for «direct negotiations between Morocco and the Polisario Front».

Earlier that day, Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita, in a meeting with UN envoy Staffan de Mistura, emphasized that «autonomy under Moroccan sovereignty» is «the only solution to this regional dispute».

He reiterated that «round-table discussions with the involvement of all parties, including Algeria, are the sole framework for this process, as outlined in Security Council Resolution 2703 from October 30, 2023».