Algiers – Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ahmed Attaf, has strongly refuted claims made by Morocco regarding the future of Western Sahara. In an exclusive interview with Algeria International, Minister Attaf addressed recent developments concerning the Western Sahara issue at the United Nations Security Council.
Attaf asserted that Morocco’s ultimate objective is to permanently eliminate the prospect of self-determination for the Sahrawi people. He highlighted Morocco’s attempts to leverage the MINURSO mandate renewal session in October to achieve what he described as three “historic” goals: dismantling MINURSO entirely or fundamentally altering its mandate, imposing the autonomy plan as the sole framework for resolution, and eradicating the concept of self-determination.
The Minister emphasized that these attempts were unsuccessful. He detailed that MINURSO’s mandate was renewed for a full year, instead of the initially proposed three months, indicating that the mission will remain in place. Furthermore, Morocco’s efforts to establish autonomy as the only solution failed, as the final resolution included references to other alternatives proposed by the Sahrawi people, keeping diplomatic options open.
Regarding self-determination, Attaf stated that the linkage Morocco sought between autonomy and the exercise of self-determination was broken. He affirmed that self-determination is now enshrined in accordance with international law and the UN Charter. The Polisario Front and the Sahrawi people were implicitly recognized as parties to the conflict, dispelling Morocco’s attempts to frame the dispute as a solely Moroccan-Algerian issue.
Looking ahead, Minister Attaf reiterated Algeria’s firm belief in three principles: the UN framework as the sole platform for addressing the issue, the Sahrawi people’s right to self-determination, and the necessity of direct negotiations between Morocco and the Polisario Front. He expressed cautious optimism, noting the United States’ potential role as a mediator, emphasizing that a mediator must set aside national positions and seek a solution acceptable to both parties, with self-determination as the cornerstone.
