U.N. envoy Staffan de Mistura urged the Security Council to capitalize on a “positive momentum” in the Sahara conflict, calling the next three months a key window for de-escalation and renewed negotiations.
Speaking during a closed-door session on Saturday in New York, de Mistura said recent diplomatic developments—particularly a visit by France’s foreign minister to Algeria on April 6—have helped ease tensions surrounding international support for Morocco’s autonomy plan. According to well-informed United Nations Hespress AR sources, he described the visit as pivotal in opening new channels for dialogue among the parties.
The Sahara conflict, which has dragged on for decades, pits Morocco against the Algeria-backed Polisario Front, which seeks secession for the territory.
Morocco has proposed autonomy under its sovereignty, a plan that has gained growing international support.
De Mistura, the personal envoy of the U.N. Secretary-General for the Sahara, encouraged Council members to back his strategy of “quiet diplomacy,” emphasizing the need to keep consultations confidential to avoid media pressure or disruption of progress, according to the same sources.
He reported that his recent tour of regional consultations laid the groundwork for a potential return to the negotiation table. All parties, he said, expressed willingness to facilitate U.N. efforts and advance toward a mutually acceptable political solution.
Also briefing the Council was Alexander Ivanko, head of the U.N. peacekeeping mission in the Sahara, known as MINURSO. Ivanko said the Polisario Front continues to reject ceasefire appeals, while Morocco’s Royal Armed Forces have shown restraint despite sporadic clashes.
Though the Polisario has declared a withdrawal from the 1991 ceasefire, Ivanko said the group lacks the military capacity to significantly impact the situation. He praised Morocco’s cooperation with the U.N. mission at all operational levels.
Ivanko also discussed Morocco’s ongoing construction of a 93-kilometer road linking Smara to the Amgala area near Mauritania. The project, six meters wide, is under MINURSO’s observation.
However, the U.N. mission is facing financial strain due to delayed contributions from member states. Ivanko said the shortfall has led to austerity measures, including reduced ground patrols, canceled air operations and postponed military observer rotations.
De Mistura’s three-month proposal echoes recent statements by Omar Hilale, Morocco’s ambassador to the U.N., who said the United States is determined to close the Sahara file.
Hilale expressed hope that a final resolution could be celebrated during the 50th anniversary of the Green March later this year.
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