France to lead UN Security Council amidst key Sahara session

In April, France will take over the presidency of the UN Security Council from Denmark, at a pivotal moment for the Sahara conflict. It is expected that France will hold a special session on the dispute, in line with UN Security Council Resolution 2756, which extends the MINURSO mandate.

France’s policy of supporting Morocco’s sovereignty over the Sahara and its autonomy proposal will be reaffirmed, as French President Emmanuel Macron emphasized in his discussion with King Mohammed VI on the 25th anniversary of the Throne Day.

This presidency coincides with the six-month deadline set by UN envoy, Stefan de Mistura, for finding a resolution to the conflict or stepping down. Since de Mistura’s last briefing in October, there has been no significant progress on the negotiations, and his suggestion of dividing the Sahara into two halves has not gained traction. 

While Morocco continues to garner international support for its autonomy plan, tensions with Algeria remain high, and the Polisario Front continues to violate the ceasefire.

The lack of recent diplomatic visits from de Mistura has led some observers to question his effectiveness.

Analysts say de Mistura’s upcoming briefing in April could be an embarrassment to his diplomatic career, highlighting that past UN envoys have lacked the courage to break from outdated diplomatic methods. 

Morocco, meanwhile, has rejected de Mistura’s request to expand on the autonomy plan, as emphasized in his previous UN briefing.

In the coming months, France’s leadership of the Security Council will provide a platform for reaffirming its strong support for Morocco’s autonomy plan as the “realistic solution” to the dispute. 

France has stated that the future of the Sahara lies within Morocco’s sovereignty, and it has echoed this sentiment in various UN meetings, emphasizing the growing international consensus in favor of this solution.