UNSC Holds Closed-door Consultations on Sahara

The UN Security Council held, Wednesday in New York, behind closed doors consultations on the Sahara issue as stipulated in resolution 2654 (2022) adopted by the Council on 27 October 2022.
The Council was briefed by UN Secretary-General Personal Envoy for the Sahara Staffan de Mistura and Secretary-General Special Representative and head of MINURSO Alexander Ivanko about the conflict over the Sahara.
The Moroccan autonomy plan was highly commended by a large number of Council member states who considered it a serious, credible, and realistic solution to put an end to the dispute over the Sahara, an informed source reported.
The source added that the members of the Security Council have unanimously reaffirmed their support for the exclusively UN-led political process which aims to achieve a realistic solution to the Sahara conflict.
They also confirmed the status of Algeria as the major party to this regional conflict which it created and has been fueling for half a century.
The members also urged Algeria to abide by Resolution 2654, under which it must take part in the roundtable process. Algeria’s refusal to take part in the roundtables represents a violation of Security Council resolutions and, consequently, of international law.
The member states praised the overall progress that the southern provinces of the Kingdom are witnessing, the opening of consulates in the cities of Laayoune and Dakhla as well as the growing recognition of the Moroccanness of the Sahara by the international community.
Morocco’s commitment to the cease-fire and cooperation with MINURSO to facilitate this measure was also reaffirmed in the meeting.
The member states also denounced polisario’s breaching of the cease-fire, urging the separatist group to abide by it.
They also condemned polisario’s obstructions of MINURSO’s cease-fire supervision, such as hampering freedom of movement and blocking supply convoys.