28 MARCH 2023 – Daily press briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson of the Secretary-General
The following is a transcript briefing by Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesperson of the Secretary-General on the ongoing informal consultations that Staffan de Mistura, the Secretary-General’s Personal Envoy has requested with Morocco, the POLISARIO Front, Algeria and Mauritania, as well as members of the Group of Friends of Western Sahara, namely France, the Russian Federation, Spain, the United Kingdom and the United States.
“Western Sahara
Also, I have been asked over the last few weeks for updates regarding the activities of Staffan de Mistura, the Personal Envoy of the Secretary-General for Western Sahara. I can tell you that he has been having meetings here at UN Headquarters.
Mr. de Mistura has invited the representatives in New York of Morocco, the Frente POLISARIO, Algeria and Mauritania, as well as the members of the Group of Friends of Western Sahara, namely France, the Russian Federation, Spain, the United Kingdom and the United States, to informal bilateral consultations with him, ahead of his bi-yearly briefing to the Security Council that will take place next month, in April.
In his invitation letters for this week’s meetings, Mr. de Mistura said he remained hopeful that a just, lasting and mutually acceptable political solution, which will provide for the self-determination of the people of Western Sahara, in accordance with relevant Security Council resolutions, was achievable.
The Personal Envoy indicated that the purpose of the informal bilateral consultations would be to discuss lessons learned in the political process; to deepen the examination of the positions; and to continue seeking mutually agreeable formulas to advance the political process.
