"قرار الصحراء" بمجلس الأمن .. روسيا تحبط الجزائر وأمريكا تدعم الحكم الذاتي

"The Sahara Decision" at the Security Council: Russia Frustrates Algeria, America Supports Autonomy

The Security Council voted on Thursday on a resolution concerning the Western Sahara, extending the mandate of the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) for another year until October 31, 2025. However, the vote was not without controversy, with Russia and Mozambique abstaining, while Algeria's representative walked out of the council chamber after the rejection of two amendments he proposed.

The resolution was ultimately approved by 12 members of the Security Council, with strong support from the United States and France. Following the vote, the US representative to the Security Council expressed Washington's satisfaction with the council's support for the efforts of the UN Secretary-General's personal envoy to the Sahara, Stéphane de Mistura, and for MINURSO. The representative emphasized that the council expressed support for the UN's efforts to find an acceptable political solution to the conflict. While acknowledging the lack of consensus on the extension of MINURSO's mandate and the UN envoy's role, the US representative expressed disappointment at the lack of consensus.

The US representative further highlighted Washington's stance on the autonomy proposal, describing it as serious and realistic for resolving the conflict, stressing the need for a mutually acceptable political solution. The representative expressed concern over the cessation of the ceasefire, urging the parties to halt hostilities to preserve security in the region, and raising concerns about the human rights situation in the Tindouf camps.

Russia's representative also abstained from the vote on the amendments proposed by Algeria concerning MINURSO. The Russian representative explained that their abstention stemmed from Moscow's principled opposition to the inclusion of human rights in the mandate of MINURSO. This stance, according to the representative, was not aligned with the mission's original objective.

Key Points:

• The Security Council voted to extend MINURSO's mandate for another year until October 31, 2025.
• Russia and Mozambique abstained from the vote.
• Algeria's representative walked out after his proposed amendments were rejected.
• The United States expressed support for the UN's efforts to find a political solution and for the autonomy proposal as a realistic solution.
• The United States also raised concerns about the cessation of the ceasefire and the human rights situation in the Tindouf camps.
• Russia's abstention was due to their opposition to the inclusion of human rights in MINURSO's mandate.