The leader of Algeria’s Justice and Development Front party has announced that the current Speaker of the country’s Council of the Nation, the parliament’s upper chamber, could not run the country if President Abdelaziz Bouteflika resigns. To him, Abdelkader Bensalah’s Moroccan origins are the problem.
As Marrakech is hosting an African meeting on the Western Sahara conflict, Pretoria chairs a SADC conference to support the Polisario. Some African countries have decided to send delegations to both Morocco and South Africa, trying to please both parties.
The second round-table on the Western Sahara dispute has ended Friday. Following the two-day talks, Horst Köhler issued a statement that goes hand in hand with the UN Security Council resolutions.
Last year, Morocco reacted quickly to the comeback of John Bolton, named by Donald Trump as the 27th National Security Advisor of the United States. Since the former diplomat took office, the Kingdom made significant moves against Iran, supported Venezuela and repatriated nationals detained by the Syrian Democratic Forces.
Negotiations in Geneva between Morocco, Algeria, Mauritania and the Polisario under the auspices of the United Nations started on Thursday. The notion of self-determination was a sticking point in the round-table convened by the UN personal envoy.