فاس نيوز ميديا جريدة الكترونية جهوية تعنى بشؤون و أخبار جهة فاس مكناس – متجددة على مدار الساعة
New York – November 5, 2025
In a prominent diplomatic move, Staffan de Mistura, the United Nations Personal Envoy for Western Sahara, called for the resumption of stalled negotiations between the concerned parties – Morocco, the Polisario Front, Algeria, and Mauritania – to avoid escalation in the region. This call comes following a closed briefing to the UN Security Council on October 10, 2025, and the renewal of the mandate of the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) through Resolution 2797 on October 31, 2025. With ongoing tensions between Morocco and Algeria, de Mistura seeks to launch immediate bilateral consultations, with plans to hold a fifth round-table meeting before the end of 2025, to promote a “just, lasting, and acceptable” political solution supported by the UN resolution.
Call for Dialogue Amid Escalating Tensions
De Mistura’s move comes in a sensitive context, as the region witnesses increasing tensions between Morocco and Algeria, including militarization and low-intensity clashes along the sand wall dividing the Western Sahara. In his Security Council briefing, the UN envoy emphasized the need for written and detailed proposals from each party to move beyond traditional positions, noting that inaction could lead to military escalation threatening the stability of the Maghreb and Sahel. He praised Mauritania’s positive neutral role as a potential mediator, calling on Algeria to encourage Polisario to prioritize politics over military action.
Concerned Parties and Their Positions
Morocco: Western Sahara is part of its southern provinces, and it promotes an autonomy plan under its sovereignty, a plan supported by the United States, France, and the United Kingdom as a realistic solution. Morocco demands Algeria’s participation as a principal party, considering it a key supporter of Polisario.
Polisario Front: From Tindouf territory, it seeks secession through self-determination (it should be noted that the majority of the Tindouf camp population consists of people from sub-Saharan Africa and southern Algeria, and Algeria has historically opposed any official census of actual Sahrawis in the camps), and believes any solution must include a referendum with an independence option.
Algeria: Supports Polisario as an observer and affirms its commitment to UN efforts, but opposes solutions that ignore self-determination and criticizes resolutions favoring autonomy.
Mauritania: Adopts “positive neutrality,” focusing on regional stability without taking sides.
International powers such as Russia and China support de Mistura’s efforts to reach an acceptable solution, while South Africa emphasizes the need to implement UN resolutions on alleged decolonization.
Potential Fifth Round: Challenges and Hopes
De Mistura’s proposal for a fifth round-table meeting builds on two previous rounds in Geneva (2018-2019) led by his predecessor Horst Köhler, which focused on confidence-building but were halted due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the 2020 ceasefire violation. Despite challenges, including Morocco’s rejection of independence and Polisario’s rejection of autonomy without a referendum, de Mistura believes that submitting written proposals could open the door to compromises.
The International Crisis Group report (October 20, 2025) supports this approach, pointing to a “diplomatic window” backed by renewed U.S. commitment, which sees autonomy under Moroccan sovereignty as the only viable solution. However, Algeria and Polisario view this support as biased, complicating negotiations.
Timeline of Key Events
| Event | Date | Description | Outcomes/Challenges |
|---|---|---|---|
| First Round (Geneva) | December 2018 | Confidence-building discussions | Agreement on second round without substantial progress |
| Second Round | March 2019 | Discussions on political process | Stalled due to differences over self-determination |
| Negotiation Halt | 2019-2024 | Due to pandemic and ceasefire violation | Low-intensity military escalation |
| Security Council Briefing | October 10, 2025 | Call for bilateral consultations and fifth round | Warning of escalation |
| Resolution 2797 | October 31, 2025 | MINURSO mandate renewal | Support for de Mistura’s efforts with Russian abstention |
Challenges and Risks
Challenges include hardline positions: Morocco’s rejection of independence and Polisario’s insistence on a referendum. Additionally, negotiation fatigue, as de Mistura noted in 2024, could lead to parties’ resignation or military escalation. Human rights issues, including conditions of Sahrawi refugees in Tindouf camps and Algerian restrictions on MINURSO monitoring of camp conditions, add complexities.
If the fifth round succeeds, the region may avoid a broader conflict, but failure could lead to instability extending to the Sahel and North Africa.
Staffan de Mistura’s efforts represent a crucial opportunity to revive the peace process in Western Sahara, one of Africa’s longest conflicts. With Security Council and U.S. support, he seeks to achieve a settlement balancing autonomy and self-determination. To follow developments, visit the UN Security Council website at www.un.org/securitycouncil.
