The UN Secretary-General’s Personal Envoy for Western Sahara, Staffan de Mistura, has taken an unprecedented step by explicitly designating Algeria as a central actor in the dispute.
Speaking at the Italian Institute for International Political Studies (ISPI), the UN diplomat stated that the conflict is primarily between Morocco and Algeria, relegating the Polisario to the status of a mere “group.”
His choice of words marks a break with decades of ambiguity and paves the way for a clearer understanding of responsibilities.
For years, Algiers has claimed neutrality, but its diplomatic, military, and financial support for the Polisario has been regularly denounced. By acknowledging this dynamic, de Mistura implicitly recognised that the issue goes beyond a separatist movement and is essentially a strategic standoff between two Maghreb states.
His remarks echo UN Security Council Resolution 2756, adopted in 2024, which cited Algeria five times as a party expected to engage in negotiations. Algeria’s abstention during that vote was widely interpreted as a diplomatic setback.
In Rabat, the envoy’s statements were welcomed as confirmation of Morocco’s long-standing position: without Algeria’s active participation, no political settlement is possible. In his July 29 Throne Day address, King Mohammed VI stressed the need for a consensual solution, “without winner or loser,” based on Morocco’s autonomy initiative.
This clarification comes as the international community is urged to overcome deadlock and push for a lasting resolution to a conflict that has hindered regional integration for nearly half a century.
MK/ac/sf/lb/as/APA