The UN Security Council voted, this Thursday, October 27, a resolution renewing the mandate of the United Nations Mission for the Organization of a Referendum in Western Sahara (Minurso) for one year, until October 31 2023.
The new resolution 2654, adopted by 13 votes and two abstentions, militates for a political solution based on compromise and highlighting the round table process. The text underlines “the importance for all parties concerned to broaden their positions in order to advance a solution”.
Further, the resolution affirms that « the Security Council fully supports the efforts made by the Secretary-General and his personal envoy to facilitate negotiations in order to reach a settlement of the question of Western Sahara, building on the progress and framework of the previous personal envoy ».
In this context, he “strongly encourages Morocco, the Polisario front, Algeria and Mauritania, to dialogue with the personal envoy in the process throughout its duration; in a spirit of realism and compromise with a view to making it a success ».
Algeria, which seems to oppose its participation at the negotiating table, is well pointed out, as if to signify its involvement in the conflict around the Moroccan Sahara.
The countries that abstained from voting for the resolution are Russia and Kenya who believe that the text should focus on Morocco and the Polisario, the main parties to the conflict in their eyes. Isn’t this a way of hiding the ambiguity about their positions! Recall that the new Kenyan President, William Ruto, had signified on Twitter, on September 14, the day after his inauguration in Nairobi, the withdrawal of the recognition of the Polisario by his country, before subsequently withdrawing his tweet.
It must be recognized that the text drafted by the United States is rather favorable to Morocco, which has always wanted not only the resumption of the round tables, but also the presence of Algeria, given its role which no longer needs to be demonstrated in the dispute.
Two round tables have already been organized in 2018 and 2019 by the personal envoy of the UN SG, Horst Köhler. Since then, the process has been suspended.
The resolution also calls for “the resumption of the safe and regular resupply of the operating bases” of Minurso, a way of asking the Polisario to put an end to its movement restrictions imposed on the UN mission.
By OMA Newsletter N° 915 of 27/10/2022
Article published under the direction of Dr. Najib Kettani
The OMA, NGO with an Intercontinental vocation
For the development of cultural exchanges
Valuing human potential
The promotion and consolidation of Africa’s development, and
Inter-African integration
