UN Insider: MINURSO chief leverages dual identity to bridge gap with Russia on Sahara issue

A  UN insider told Hespress that Alexander Ivanko, head of the UN Western Sahara mission (MINURSO), has been using his dual identity – both Russian and a trusted UN figure – to influence Russia’s history of reservations about UN Security Council votes on Western Sahara.

Ivanko recently held talks with both Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Vershinin and Middle East envoy Mikhail Bogdanov.

Discussions centered on achieving a “just, long-term, and mutually acceptable solution” for the Western Sahara conflict, based on existing UN Security Council resolutions.

 Russia emphasized during the meetings the importance of the UN mission, MINURSO, in creating the necessary conditions on the ground for peace talks to progress constructively.

The  UN source said Russia has previously expressed reservations about certain Security Council votes regarding Western Sahara, and said that Ivanko’s Russian nationality and the trust he has built within the UN could be instrumental in facilitating future progress and bridging the gap with Russia on the issue.

The source also highlighted Russia’s significant contributions to UN peacekeeping efforts, both financially and through military personnel deployed worldwide, including their involvement with MINURSO. 

Russia, traditionally a neutral player in the Western Sahara conflict, appears to be taking a more active role, as evidenced by recent high-level talks with both Morocco and the UN envoy for Western Sahara, Staffan de Mistura. 

These discussions, which centered on finding a solution based on existing UN resolutions, hold particular weight due to Russia’s permanent seat on the Security Council, granting them significant influence over resolutions impacting the conflict. 

Russia has carefully balanced its approach by reassuring Morocco, a key player, by excluding Polisario from Russia-Africa summits, demonstrating a nuanced understanding of the regional dynamics.