Rabat – The United Nations Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, has issued a condemnatory statement to denounce Polisario’s threats against the Monaco-Dakar Rally or the Africa Eco Race.
On January 11, spokesperson of the UN chief, Stephane Dujarric, conveyed the UN’s concerns over the increased tensions in Western Sahara as the rally participants prepare to cross the Guerguerat buffer zone in Western Sahara on January 13.
“The Secretary-General is concerned about increased tensions in Western Sahara as the Africa Eco Race is about to cross Guerguerat,” the statement reads.
Read Also: Polisario Threatens to Stop Africa Eco Racers from Crossing Western Sahara
The UN chief, according to his spokesperson, calls on all actors to the conflict to exercise maximum restraint and to defuse any tensions.”
The statement came as a response to the threats from the Polisario Front against the race.
The breakaway group warned that it will “respond resolutely to any actions that aim to undermine the integrity of Western Sahara.”
For Gueteress, it is necessary to allow “for regular civilian and commercial traffic to proceed.”
The UN’s top official also warned against any action that “may constitute a change to the status quo of the Buffer Strip,” reiterating the UN’s commitment to support the “parties to reach a just, lasting and mutually acceptable political solution to the conflict in Western Sahara in accordance with Security Council resolutions.”
This is not the first time that the Polisario Front has threatened to hinder the passage for the rally.
In January 2019, the group repeated threats to disrupt the Monaco-Dakar rally.
The breakaway group made the same move in January 2018, wen its members sent two vehicles to stop the race. They intercepted two race participants.
