New York (United Nations), 4 September 2023 (SPS) – The UN Secretary-General’s personal envoy for Western Sahara, Staffan de Mistura, arrived in occupied El Aaiun on Monday for a visit to Western Sahara, the UN indicated in a statement.
“Furthermore, he looks forward to conducting visits to the region and meetings with all parties concerned prior to the release of the Secretary-General’s report to the Security Council in October,” the statement said.
“The Personal Envoy hopes to further deepen consultations with all parties concerned on the prospects of advancing the political process in Western Sahara in a constructive manner during these regional engagements,” the same source added.
“He plans to report on his visits and engagements to the Secretary-General as well as to the Security Council in October,” the statement concluded.
This is Staffan de Mistura’s third visit since his appointment in October 2021, following those conducted in January and July 2022 to Morocco, the Sahrawi Refugee Camps, where he met with several officials from the Polisario Front, the sole legitimate representative of the Sahrawi people, as well as to Mauritania and Algeria, neighboring countries and observers.
He has never been able to visit the occupied territories before, due to the refusal of the Moroccan occupier.
His mission remains difficult and complex due to the delays and maneuvers by the Moroccan side to prevent him from finding a solution to the last colony in Africa, ending its occupation, and granting the Sahrawis their right to self-determination.
