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Rabat – Staffan de Mistura, the UN Secretary-General’s Personal Envoy for Western Sahara, continued his diplomatic tour on Thursday, with a visit to Moscow.
In the Russian capital, de Mistura met with Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Vershinin to discuss prospects for advancing the stalled political process.
Moscow’s position
Talks focused on “the state and prospects of the peace process in Western Sahara, as well as the role of the UN in efforts to relaunch political dialogue toward a just, durable and mutually acceptable solution,” according to a statement released by the Russian Foreign Ministry reported in local media.
The ministry described the dispute, which has lasted for nearly half a century, as “a legacy of colonialism,” stressing that a resolution would contribute to regional stability in North Africa and the wider Sahara-Sahel area.
Russia also called for providing the UN Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) with adequate human and material resources so it can “continue stabilizing the situation in the region.”
Earlier this year, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov reiterated Moscow’s interest in maintaining good ties with Morocco, stressing that Russia is working with Rabat on the Western Sahara dispute.
The two countries have reiterated their willingness to deepen cooperation through political dialogue and reciprocal visits. Yet despite this diplomatic posture, Russia continues to obstruct the UN-led process.
Moscow recently pressed for changes in UN resolutions to highlight the idea of a self-determination referendum, a demand that aligns with the separatist Polisario Front’s position.
The US has pushed back against these maneuvers, keeping the language of resolutions consistent with previous texts. Russia’s stance reflects its close alignment with Algeria, its top arms client and strategic ally.
While Moscow occasionally moderates its tone to avoid outright hostility toward Morocco, its policy has largely been shaped by the need to appease Algiers.
Call for a definitive settlement
Moscow underlined “the necessity of a final settlement of the Western Sahara issue, in line with the purposes and principles of the UN Charter and relevant Security Council resolutions.”
Russia is set to assume the rotating presidency of the UN Security Council in October, positioning it to play a more visible role in discussions on the issue.
De Mistura’s Moscow stop followed a visit to Algiers, where he met with Algerian Foreign Minister Ahmed Attaf.
Despite claiming to back UN efforts for a “just, lasting, and definitive” settlement, Algeria once again denied any responsibility in the dispute while simultaneously seeking to obstruct the UN-led political process.
The Algerian regime has long been accused of fueling the conflict while publicly presenting itself as a neutral actor, a contradiction that has delayed serious progress toward a final resolution of the Western Sahara issue.
Attaf’s comments were hardly unexpected, as Algeria’s regime continues to disregard recent developments, chief among them the growing momentum behind Morocco’s sovereignty over its southern provinces.
Central to this progress is Morocco’s Autonomy Plan, which has gained wide international backing. Major global players, including the US and France, have formally recognized both Morocco’s sovereignty and the plan’s legitimacy, reinforcing its position as the most credible path forward.
His ongoing tour is part of efforts to gather support from key international and regional actors ahead of renewed UN consultations aimed at breaking the long impasse.
