On Thursday, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres released his annual report on the Moroccan Sahara, recommending that the Security Council extend the mandate of the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) for one year, until October 31, 2025.
In his comprehensive report presented on Wednesday, Guterres outlined recent efforts and challenges in resolving the Sahara conflict, emphasizing the lack of cooperation from the Polisario Front. The 20-page document reviews Guterres’s attempts to revive negotiations among the four main parties involved in the territorial dispute: Morocco, Algeria, Mauritania, and the Polisario Front.
The report indicates that the situation on the ground remains marked by low-intensity tensions and hostilities between Morocco and the Polisario Front. Despite the efforts of the UN Secretary-General’s personal envoy, Staffan de Mistura, political progress remains limited.
Morocco reiterated its commitment to the negotiation process under UN auspices and the implementation of its internationally recognized autonomy plan. This plan was recently praised by French President Emmanuel Macron, who stated on July 30 that it constitutes “the basis for resolving this issue.”
However, France’s stance, along with the recent opening of a Chadian consulate in Dakhla, located in Morocco’s Southern Provinces, has faced sharp criticism from Algeria and the Polisario Front, which continue to firmly oppose Morocco’s sovereignty over the region.
In his report, Guterres also pointed out several attacks that have hindered the UN mission’s efforts to organize a referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO). Notably, a rocket attack by the Polisario on October 29, 2023, targeted the Moroccan city of Smara, situated approximately 2.5 kilometers from a MINURSO site. This attack resulted in the death of one civilian and injuries to three others, including a minor.
Furthermore, MINURSO faces difficulties in fulfilling its tasks due to restrictions imposed by the Polisario Front, which obstruct investigations on the ground.
Despite these challenges, Morocco continues its modernization and development efforts in its Southern Provinces. On July 29, Morocco inaugurated the Sakia El Hamra River Bridge, a major infrastructure project aimed at enhancing the region’s economic and social development, commemorating the 25th anniversary of King Mohammed VI’s accession to the throne.
The report concludes by highlighting Morocco’s readiness to negotiate towards a sustainable diplomatic solution. António Guterres thus calls for intensified diplomatic efforts to achieve a peaceful and definitive resolution to this decades-old conflict.
this article is originally published on fr.apanews.net
