De Mistura to release comprehensive report on Western Sahara regional tour

This week, the visit of the United Nations Special Envoy to the Sahara, Staffan de Mistura, to the countries and regions concerned with the regional Sahara conflict, concluded with a meeting with Algerian diplomatic officials, as the eastern neighbor is a major party to the conflict.

De Mistura is expected to present his report on the outcome of his meetings with Minister for Foreign Affairs Nasser Bourita, African Cooperation, and Moroccans Abroad, Mauritanian President Mohamed Ould Ghazouani, Algerian Foreign Minister Ramtane Lamamra, and the representatives of the Polisario Front.

During his first field visit, De Mistura examined the reality of the Sahara conflict, the Algerian regime’s role in inciting the conflict, and the way the Polisario Front officials have been following instructions from the Mouradia Palace, Algeria’s presidential palace.

Muhammad al-Tayyar, an analyst and expert in security affairs, considered that the purpose of De Mistura’s visit, which is the first of its kind, is to “test the pulse and pave the way for dialogue in order to end the fabricated crisis.”

Al-Tayyar stressed, in a statement to the Hespress AR, that the UN official’s field visit to the Tindouf camps “led him to challenge the claims made by the Algerian military regime about its lack of involvement in the conflict.”

“During his visit, De Mistura noted that the situation is totally contrary to international law, making it impossible to discuss refugees when armed men display their military uniforms in front of the UN envoy”, the same analyst says.

Last October, the Algerian regime has instructed its Permanent Representative to the UN to inform the president of the Security Council and other members of the round table discussions on the Sahara conflict, that Algeria will not be participating in the discussions as it has no involvement in the conflict.

The Moroccan expert explained that de Mistura’s visit to the camps “is undoubtedly one of its major advantages as it led him to the conclusion that the blatant military regime [Algeria] was involved in the artificial regional conflict in the southern provinces.”

The analyst further stressed that “all the statements and positions the military regime and the Polisario made prior to the visit going forward turned out to be a hoax, and that, because of their responsibility in the conflict, they were obligated to cooperate with United Nations efforts, and with Morocco’s position for an autonomous resolution of the conflict.”