The United Nations (UN) has officially published the Secretary-General’s (SG) report to the Security Council on the Moroccan Sahara, in which the UNSG, António Guterres, mentioned Algeria 20 times, confirming that it is indeed one of the main parties to this regional dispute.
In this report, Guterres recalled Algeria’s participation, along with the other stakeholders, in the informal bilateral consultations organized by the Personal Envoy for the Moroccan Sahara, Staffan de Mistura, held in New York on March 30, 2023.
The United Nations Secretary-General (UNSG) reviewed de Mistura’s numerous visits to Algiers and his meetings with Algerian foreign ministers and senior officials, as a party to the dispute over the Moroccan Sahara, as confirmed by Security Council resolutions, including resolution 2654, which mentions Algeria as frequently as Morocco.
Guterres called on Algeria, as the “party concerned”, to elaborate and clarify its position to achieve a just, lasting, and mutually acceptable political solution to this dispute, in accordance with Security Council resolution 2654.
The UN official also urged Algeria to engage in good faith and with the necessary political will, with the Secretary-General’s Personal Envoy for the Moroccan Sahara to achieve a political, realistic, pragmatic, sustainable, and compromise solution on the basis of the Security Council resolutions since 2018.
Guterres also unveiled the flagrant contradictions of Algeria, which is attempting to hide behind a pseudo “observer state” status, while at the same time expressing to the Personal Envoy “its concern about the absence of a solution.” A concern that speaks volumes about its unquestionable and direct involvement in this artificial dispute since its inception.
The United Nations Secretary-General (UNSG) also singled out Algeria, which “persists in opposing the round table process”, in blatant violation of Security Council resolutions, including resolution 2654, which confirm that round tables are the only framework for the exclusive UN political process.
In addition, the UN Chief explicitly noted that the deterioration in relations between Algeria and Morocco is worrying and affects the situation in the Sahara and the journey to reach a solution to this regional dispute, adding that Algeria’s role is crucial to resolving this regional dispute.
In a further demonstration of Algeria’s primary responsibility in maintaining this dispute, Guterres stated that his Personal Envoy’s efforts for the Moroccan Sahara continued against a backdrop of regional tensions, pointing out that de Mistura had taken note of the deep concern he had heard in several capitals about relations between Algeria and Morocco, while noting the assurances of officials in Algiers and Rabat that no further escalation was being sought.