UN, US officials hold 3rd co-chaired meeting on Western Sahara in Washington

HAMILTON, Canada

The third co-chaired inter-ministerial meeting on Western Sahara since January was held in Washington, the UN said Wednesday.

"I can tell you that, in close partnership with the United States, as penholder on Western Sahara in the Security Council, Staffan de Mistura, the personal envoy of the secretary general for Western Sahara, co-chaired negotiations in Washington. That was on 23-24 February," UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said at a news conference.

"That was co-chaired with Ambassador Michael Waltz, the permanent representative of the US, with vital support from the Senior Advisor for Arab and African Affairs to the US President, Massad Boulos. This was the third co-chaired inter-ministerial meeting on Western Sahara since January," he said.

Dujarric noted that "negotiations saw in-depth discussions, taking as a basis Morocco’s autonomy proposal, as per Security Council 2797."

"This is encouraging, and significant work will still be required, including on the key issue of self-determination for the people of Western Sahara, to reach a mutually acceptable solution to the conflict," he added.

US envoy Steve Witkoff said in October that his team was working on an agreement between Morocco and Algeria.

Later that month, the UN Security Council adopted a US-backed resolution supporting Morocco's autonomy proposal for Western Sahara.

The dispute dates to 1975, after Spain ended its colonial rule of the territory. It escalated into an armed conflict between Morocco and the Polisario Front until a 1991 ceasefire.

Morocco controls most of the territory and proposes broad autonomy under its sovereignty, while the Polisario Front wants a self-determination referendum, a position backed by Algeria, which hosts refugees from the territory.