UNSG Personal Envoy for Sahara Staffan De Mistura’s “unexpected and mysterious” trip to South Africa last week has caused consternation to the Saharawi Movement for Peace (MSP) whose Secretary General Hach Ahmed Bericalla said on Sunday that he hopes that it does not end up being “an unfortunate slip which precipitates another resignation and provokes the umpteenth failure of the UN emissaries in the former Spanish colony.”
In an article penned by Bericalla published in Spanish news website “Atalayar,” he described Mistura’s travel to the South African capital where he held talks with South Africa’s Foreign Minister Naledi Pandor on Jan 31, who told the press afterwards that they only presented some “confidential” possible approaches to the Sahara issue, which, according to the minister, would have to be studied in depth to be able to answer questions on their contents.
Bericalla went on to say that the spokesperson for the Secretary General of the United Nations Stéphane Dujarric had announced De Mistura’s unexpected trip just a few hours earlier and explained that the South African government sent an official invitation to unblock the political process around the Saharawi question.
The rushed and opaque announcement of this trip is “surprising and unusual,” Bericalla wrote, because South Africa does not currently hold the presidency of the African Union, nor is it a member of the observer countries or of any group that includes the United States, other permanent members of the Security Council, and Spain, which typically draft resolutions to renew the mandates of MINURSO.
He also stated that South Africa is the second most significant ally of the Polisario, only after Algeria, adding that its involvement in the current context, unless aimed at persuading the Polisario to engage in dialogue and respect the cease-fire, is likely to have adverse effects, further complicating the already challenging mission of the UN envoy.
The MSP Secretary-General added that De Mistura’s timing in announcing his visit to Pretoria was “somewhat insensitive,” coming just a few hours after the soccer match between the Moroccan and South African teams.
Bericalla also commented on De Mistura’s trip to the region last September where he met with Moroccan officials and various activists aligned with Algeria and the Polisario, noting that it is surprising that he has not yet met with representatives of the MSP especially considering the positive impact of this new political actor, which has emerged from the ranks of the armed movement and advocates for a moderate and conciliatory approach, along with a clear and precise roadmap for the peaceful resolution of the Sahara issue, as witnessed firsthand on the ground.