UN Security Council Holds Closed-Door Meetings on Western Sahara Dispute

The first closed-door meeting was held on Monday, October 3. The other three will be held on October 10, 17 and 27, according to the work program and the agenda of the sessions. October is the month of the rotating presidency of Gabon, a country that maintains excellent relations with Morocco. During these closed-door sessions on the Sahara, the renewal of MINURSO’s mandate, exchanges on the situation on the ground and the progress of the political solution will be discussed, reports Hespress.

This year, the UN Secretary-General’s envoy, Staffan de Mistura, will have to present his mission report to the Security Council members during the briefing sessions. The same will be true for the UN Special Representative, head of the MINURSO mission in the Sahara, Alexandre Ivanko. It will also be an opportunity to discuss the progress in the file as was the case last year, when Algeria had rejected the content of the final resolution of the Security Council. Algiers had refused to participate in the meetings that could lead to an agreement and promote a "just, lasting and mutually acceptable political solution".