Ireland has renewed its support for the United Nations-led process aimed at reaching a mutually agreed political solution to the Sahara dispute, reaffirming its backing for the efforts of U.N. envoy Staffan de Mistura to restart stalled negotiations.
The position was outlined by Ireland’s Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Helen McEntee, in a response to a parliamentary question from lawmaker Seán Ó Fearghaíl, coordinator of the Ireland–Morocco parliamentary friendship group, regarding Dublin’s stance following recent U.N. developments on the issue.
McEntee said Ireland continues to closely monitor U.N. deliberations related to the dispute and stressed that the U.N. framework and recent U.N. Security Council resolutions remain the sole basis for facilitating negotiations and ensuring constructive engagement by all concerned parties.
She reiterated Ireland’s full support for the U.N. secretary-general and his personal envoy, emphasizing the need for all parties, Morocco, Algeria, the Polisario Front and Mauritania, to participate in the political process without preconditions in order to reach a just and lasting solution.
Commenting on the statement, Aba Ali Aba Cheikh, a member of Morocco’s Royal Advisory Council for Saharan Affairs, said Ireland’s position reflects a continued commitment to the United Nations as the exclusive framework for addressing the dispute and adherence to international legitimacy.
He added that Ireland’s reference to Security Council resolutions signals growing international preference for realistic and workable solutions, including Morocco’s autonomy proposal, while noting that isolated parliamentary initiatives in Ireland supportive of the Polisario Front do not reflect the official position of the Irish government.
Sheikh Boussaid, a researcher in public law specializing in the Sahara issue, said Ireland’s statement underscores its alignment with the U.N.-led political and legal framework and avoids adopting unilateral positions outside that process.
He added that Ireland’s reference to the latest Security Council resolution, which renewed the mandate of the U.N. mission MINURSO and called for renewed political talks, demonstrates Dublin’s continued commitment to the U.N. track while maintaining balanced diplomatic relations with Morocco.
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