UN Security Council holds four sessions to discuss developments in Western Sahara

New York (United Nations) – During the month of October, the UN Security Council will hold four sessions to discuss developments in the Sahrawi issue, including one to renew the mandate of the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO), according to the program published by the United Nations on its website.

The Personal Envoy of the UN Secretary-General to Western Sahara, Staffan de Mistura, will present his special report on the situation in the occupied territories, while considering the mandate of the MINURSO mission, which will end on October 31.

According to the work program and agenda of the UN Security Council for October, the Western Sahara file will be discussed and consulted on, especially the renewal of the mandate of MINURSO, through working sessions and meetings held on the 11th, 16th and 30th of this month, while the first sessions were held yesterday, Monday.

During the Security Council sessions that will be held under the presidency of the State of Brazil, within the framework of the Council’s rotating presidency, members are expected to listen to a briefing on the Western Sahara file, presented by the Special Representative of the Secretary-General of the United Nations in Western Sahara and the head of the MINURSO mission, Alexander Ivanko, and the Secretary’s Personal Envoy. UN General Staffan de Mistura, in addition to the issue of extending the mission of MINURSO.

The UN Security Council discussions come in light of the continuing war between the Polisario Front and Morocco following the Moroccan occupation army’s violation of the ceasefire agreement and targeting unarmed Sahrawi civilians in November 2020.

The Council also met shortly after a tour made by de Mistura to the region at the beginning of last September, where he was able for the first time to reach the occupied territories and meet with representatives of human rights organizations and Sahrawi media institutions, who provided him with live testimonies and detailed reports on the crimes committed by Morocco.

He includes it in his report. De Mistura then headed to Morocco, before visiting Algeria and Mauritania, considering the two countries as observer parties in the process led by the United Nations.

APS