Tags : Security Council, Western Sahara, Polisario Front, Morocco, Staffan de Mistura, Algeria, Mauritania,

UNITED NATIONS Nations Unies
OFFICE OF THE PERSONAL ENVOY OF THE SECRETARY-GENERAL FOR WESTERN SAHARA
BRUSSELS, BELGIUM
Personal Envoy of the Secretary-General for Western Sahara Staffan de Mistura
SECURITY COUNCIL CONSULTATIONS – BRIEFING

New York, 14 April 2025

Monsieur le Président,

When I last briefed the members of this Council on Western Sahara six months ago, I expressed my hope that by April 2025, I would be in a position to report progress towards the achievement of a just, lasting and mutually agreed solution to the conflict – one that would also provide for the self-determination of the people of Western Sahara. It is therefore my duty to come back to you on where we stand.

Allow me to start by putting the focus on two very recent bilateral developments that could have important implications for efforts to de-escalate tensions in the region, and to facilitate a mutually-agreed outcome in Western Sahara.

On 8 April, Moroccan Foreign Minister Bourita visited Washington DC. In a statement published by US Secretary of State Rubio after their meeting, and in the context of a clear reaffirmation of President Trump’s 2020 proclamation, the Secretary reiterated his government’s belief in a “genuine autonomy”. He also noted his President’s insistence on a “mutually acceptable solution” – which Secretary Rubio said the US would actively facilitate.

In a separate development, and as part of a bilateral effort in which no direct reference to the Western Sahara file was made, Foreign Minister Barrot of France was received by the highest Algerian authorities on 6 April. This visit was announced further to a telephone conversation between President Tebboune and President Macron.

Mr President,

I believe these two developments are significant. The diplomatic engagement in the region of two permanent members of this Council is an indication of the renewed attention given to the opportunities, but also very much the risks that exist. In fact, we have not seen an improvement in Algerian-Moroccan relations, just the contrary. Such an improvement would be a prerequisite to avert the risks of a regional conflict, taking into account the constant tensions, lack of diplomatic contact, closure of the borders, and substantial recent increase in acquisition of advanced military equipment and related expenditures. It is clear to everyone that such increasing tensions in the regional context are of great relevance to the environment in which the United Nations and this Council are seeking to facilitate a Western Sahara political outcome.

In particular, I would like to highlight three additional messages which we have received by the US authorities on the occasion of the recent visit of Minister Bourita. These messages were restated to me in my meetings in Washington DC last Thursday – after which my interlocutors expressed their support for the “valuable and ongoing contributions” of the United Nations to advancing peace in Western Sahara.

Let us analyse together these three messages, and see whether we can build on that. The first message is that autonomy should be “genuine”. This echoes my belief and request that the Moroccan Autonomy Initiative needs to be explained in much greater details, and hence a clear sense should be given of the prerogatives that would be devolved to a genuinely autonomous Western Sahara.

The second message is related to “a mutually acceptable solution” and reminds us that actual negotiations are required among the parties concerned to reach a solution – which would also unavoidably include, at the right moment, some credible form of self-determination.

And the third important message is that the new US administration is intending to engage directly in facilitating a mutually agreed solution. In such a case, bearing in mind relevant Security Council resolutions, and under the stewardship of this Council and the Secretary-General, the United Nations -myself- could indeed be supportive of such an engagement. Let me therefore add that there is a sense of urgency, if we are to contribute to a de-escalation in the region, and at the same time aim at solving the Western Sahara issue.

Mr President,

In the past weeks I visited Rabat, Nouakchott, Tindouf and Algiers. In the course of my meetings with Moroccan Foreign Minister Bourita and Frente POLISARIO Secretary-General Ghali, I heard reiterations of their respective and well-known concerns, as was the case with Algerian Foreign Minister Attaf. As for Mauritanian President Ghazouani and Foreign Minister Merzoug, they continued to monitor closely the delicate regional situation, and to state their readiness to support any political progress on the issue of Western Sahara, in a spirit of “positive neutrality”.

Mr President,

I would like now to elaborate briefly on three aspects that deserve your attention:

The first such aspect relates to the situation on the ground. My esteemed colleague and friend SRSG Ivanko will soon give a detailed presentation from the standpoint of MINURSO. I want to add on this occasion my support for the work that he and his team continue carrying out, despite challenges on the ground and more ongoing financial constraints. I hope that the support from this Council, troop-contributing countries and all concerned for the work of MINURSO will endure, since they could also be very useful to support the initial phase of a possible mutually agreed solution. When we abolish something at the UN, it becomes very difficult to reestablish it.

The second element I would like to emphasise relates to the ongoing humanitarian needs of the refugees in the camps of Western Sahara – in and around Tindouf. In the course of my visit to the camps earlier this month, I met with colleagues from UNHCR and the World Food Programme who shared with me their alarm at the reduction in food rations, which risk, in the worst case, to be discontinued altogether this summer without new funding.

During the visit in Tindouf, I had meetings with civil society representatives and women’s organisations. I heard many moving expressions of impatience and agony by all, in particular the younger generation of Sahrawi refugees, who are getting really restless. One young woman told me that she was born in the camps and had only known this reality for her entire life so far. This is where she had buried her grandparents and her parents. And then she said: “When I die, I don’t want to be buried here. I want to see my homeland and be buried there.”

The poignant power of her voice leads me to the third and final element: the full and meaningful participation of the women of Western Sahara in the process that hopefully will shape the future of their people.

In conclusion, Mr President and members of the Council, 2025, this year, marks 50 years since the issue of Western Sahara has been on the UN agenda. The next three months will in my opinion be an opportunity to verify how a new impetus based on a renewed, active engagement by some members of this Council, including permanent ones, can produce a regional de-escalation and separately, a reenergised roadmap towards the resolution of the Western Sahara conflict. In such a case, we shall be able to be effectively supportive, and the October session of 2025 could become a very important occasion for this Council. My determination, which the Secretary-General approves, to facilitate such an outcome, remains intact.

Je vous remercie, Monsieur le Président.

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