Personal Envoy of the United Nations Secretary-General for the Sahara, Staffan de Mistura arrived today in Laayoune where he will begin consultations on the conflict, the UN Said.
de Mistura is “looking forward to conducting visits in the region and meetings, engaging all concerned ahead of the issuance of the report of the Secretary-General to the Security Council in October,” the statement said
The Personal Envoy plans to submit a report on his visits and engagements to the Secretary-General, as well as to the Security Council, next October.
De Mistura’s visit to Morocco will be followed by visits to the Tindouf camps and Algeria, as part of consultations with the parties to the conflict ahead of the annual report.
The United States is considered the “penholder” in drafting the upcoming Security Council resolution on the Sahara file. The resolution is expected to address the status of the MINURSO mission, whose mandate ends in October.
Barbara Leaf, Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs, visited Morocco and Algeria. Her deputy, Joshua Harris, also met with the Polisario leadership in the Tindouf camps.