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In his latest report to the Security Council on the Sahara, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed disappointment over the lack of progress in the Sahara political process, facilitated by his personal envoy.
The report emphasized that while the personal envoy had held informal bilateral consultations with various parties, he had not succeeded in relaunching the political process needed to advance toward a peaceful and lasting resolution of the regional dispute.
This deadlock is largely attributed to Algeria's refusal to accept its responsibility and role as a principal party in the conflict. The report highlighted that Algerian Foreign Minister Ahmed Attaf reiterated during meetings with the personal envoy in February and April 2024 that his country was not a party to the dispute.
Algeria’s lack of active participation complicates the political process, hinders the search for a peaceful and just solution, and prolongs the current stalemate. In contrast, the UN Secretary-General noted that Morocco has reaffirmed its willingness to resume the roundtable process, viewing it as an opportunity to advance the dialogue.
The report also mentioned the personal envoy's meeting on April 4, 2024, in Rabat with Morocco’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Nasser Bourita, during which Morocco reiterated its commitment to garnering international support for its vision of resolving the conflict—namely, the Moroccan autonomy initiative, regarded as the only viable solution.
Guterres reported that the personal envoy had also met with senior representatives from the USA, Spain, South Africa, Russia, the UK, France, and Germany, all of whom reaffirmed their support for UN efforts to facilitate a political resolution to the conflict.
In his report, the UN Secretary-General stressed the importance of continuing diplomatic efforts toward a solution, highlighting the crucial role of international community support in this process.
Finally, the report noted that the personal envoy would continue working closely with all parties to move toward a peaceful and lasting resolution.
