Former Algerian Ambassador Challenges Moroccan Agency’s UN Resolution Claims
Former Algerian Ambassador Amar Belani has publicly criticized the official Moroccan press agency, MAP, for its interpretation of a recent United Nations resolution concerning Western Sahara. Belani asserted that MAP misrepresented the resolution's content, claiming it "consecrates" autonomy under "Moroccan sovereignty" and recognized "the four parties." He highlighted that, despite MAP's assertion that the text was "identical to those adopted since twenty years," the agency also described it as "historic," creating an inconsistency.
The ambassador noted that this year, unlike the previous two decades, the resolution on Western Sahara was subjected to a vote rather than being adopted by consensus, with 152 delegations approving it. Belani pointed out that the resolution, accessible online, contradicts MAP's presentation. The text reaffirms the inalienable right to self-determination and independence, in accordance with resolutions 1514 and 1541, demanding that any solution respect the "freely expressed wishes" of the people. It treats the issue as a matter of decolonization, not a bilateral dispute, and explicitly distinguishes between "the parties" involved in negotiations and "neighboring countries" or "states of the region" that are invited to cooperate, a distinction which undermines MAP’s "imaginary quartet."
Belani further detailed specific inaccuracies in MAP's reporting. He stated that MAP substituted the resolution's phrase "just, durable and mutually acceptable that allows the self-determination of the people of Western Sahara" with a different formulation, removing "just" and "autodetermination" and adding "realistic" and "pragmatic." Additionally, MAP reportedly omitted a section where Morocco, by voting for the text, approved the call for parties to cooperate with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and respect international humanitarian law. Belani also clarified that the simple mention of UN Security Council Resolution 2797 in the preamble is merely a technical update of references, not a political consecration.
The former ambassador concluded that MAP's actions, which involve naming parties not designated by the text, removing inconvenient terms, and adding those that serve its narrative before attributing this re-writing to the UN, constitute manipulation. This critique reinforces Algeria's consistent diplomatic position supporting the self-determination of the people of Western Sahara based on international law and UN resolutions.
