Sahara : The head of MINURSO meets with China's ambassador

Alexander Ivanko, the UN Secretary-General's special representative for Western Sahara and head of MINURSO, has been in Rabat for the past two days. He is engaging in a fresh round of discussions with ambassadors from UN Security Council member states.

On Wednesday, November 12, the Russian diplomat met with the Chinese ambassador, Yu Jinsong, who assumed his role on September 29. The ambassador reaffirmed to Alexander Ivanko «Beijing's full support» for the UN mission in Western Sahara.

It's noteworthy that China abstained from voting on Resolution 2797, which the Security Council adopted on October 31 to extend MINURSO's mandate by another year, until October 31, 2026. This stance is perceived as relatively favorable to Morocco's interests, given that China, as a permanent Council member, has veto power over the decisions of the Fifteen.

Alexander Ivanko regularly meets with foreign diplomats stationed in Rabat, especially as the Security Council's October and April sessions approach, which are focused on the Sahara issue.