Nasser Bourita’s European tour has sparked a significant wave of support for Morocco’s autonomy plan for the Sahara. Following France, Estonia, and Moldova, Croatia is the latest country to back the Kingdom’s position.
Staffan de Mistura is approaching his mission with renewed optimism, promising to present a new roadmap for the Sahara to the parties involved in the coming months. This marks a shift from last October, when the UN envoy had expressed a desire to resign.
The head of MINURSO, Alexander Ivanko, has cast serious doubt on the Polisario's narrative of «war» in the Sahara, which it has promoted over the past four years. Speaking before the Security Council, the Russian diplomat highlighted the Front’s «inability» to alter the status quo through military action, while praising the restraint shown by the Royal Armed Forces (FAR).
The Algerians have spared no effort in trying to win over President Donald Trump, even going so far as to grant the exploitation rights for the Gara Djebilet iron mine in the Tindouf region. Under the terms of the 1972 agreement between King Hassan II and President Boumediene, half of the mine was to be allocated to Morocco.