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Rabat – The UN Security Council will convene in a closed-door consultation meeting to discuss Western Sahara on Wednesday in New York.
The Personal Envoy of the Secretary-General for Western Sahara, Staffan de Mistura, will attend the meeting, as well as the Personal Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of MINURSO, Alexander Ivanko.
The meeting comes amid reluctance from Algeria and the Polisario Front to engage in the UN-led political process, and its opposition to Morocco’s diplomatic gains.
Algeria and Polisario, the two main parties disputing with Morocco over Western Sahara, have been protesting the stance of European countries in support of Morocco’s position on the issue.
In addition to Algeria, Polisario, and Morocco, Mauritania is the fourth main party in the dispute.
Algeria, which has been arming, financing, sheltering, and supporting the Polisario Front, interfered in Morocco’s diplomatic affairs following Spain’s position change on Western Sahara.
In March, Spain endorsed Morocco’s Autonomy Plan as the most serious and credible basis to resolve the Western Sahara dispute.
Spain’s decision angered Algeria, which recalled its ambassador to Madrid and called the endorsement of the Moroccan initiative “surprising.”
On Monday, Amar Belani, Algerian “special envoy” in charge of Western Sahara shared further controversial and hostile remarks against Morocco’s territorial integrity, lashing out at Spain.
Belani’s remarks came in response to Sanchez’s recent statements, emphasizing that the Spanish government seeks to maintain “positive relations” with Algeria.
In response, Belani said that the return of the Algerian ambassador to Spain will be “decided sovereignly by the Algerian authorities within the framework of prior and frank clarifications to rebuild a seriously damaged confidence.”
He said that people who believe that Algeria’s decision to recall its ambassador is “ just temporary anger out of tune with reality.”
Belani also described Spain as “irresponsible” after adopting a “surprising reversal on the question of Western Sahara.”
The remarks show that Algeria will probably demonstrate further rejection and reluctance to engage in the UN-led political process.
Political analysts have been concerned about the ability of the UN to salvage the stagnating political process to find an agreed-upon and mutually acceptable political solution to end the dispute over Western Sahara.
The Security Council has been calling on all the parties involved in the dispute to engage in the political process.
The international community also wants to see the new Secretary General’s Personal Envoy, de Mistura, re-opening meetings between parties in the conflict.
The UN appointed de Mistura after nearly three years of diplomatic stagnation following Horst Kohler’s resignation.
The political process is also marked by Algeria’s decision to sever relations with Morocco in August 2021.
In addition, the Polisario Front announced the collapse of the UN-ceasefire agreement in 2021.
Amid Polisario and Algeria’s defiance, it remains to be seen whether de Mistura will be able to revive the roundtable of talks and break the stagnation surrounding the UN-led political process.
