UN envoy arrives in Algeria for talks with Western Sahara independence movement

UN envoy Staffan de Mistura arrived in Algeria for talks with the Polisario Front, a pro-independence movement for Western Sahara, AFP reports. Sahrawi media says he is expected to meet with Polisario leader Brahim Ghali.

Western Sahara is largely controlled by Morocco but the Algeria-backed Polisario has campaigned for independence for the territory since colonial ruler Spain pulled out in 1975. De Mistura’s visit comes ahead of his scheduled briefing to the UN Security Council on October 16, the Algerian state news agency reports.

The UN considers Western Sahara a "non-self-governing territory" and has maintained a peacekeeping mission since 1991, aiming to organize a referendum on the region’s future. However, Morocco rejects any vote that includes independence as an option. In recent years, Morocco has gained international support for its control of Western Sahara, particularly after the U.S. recognized Moroccan sovereignty over the region in 2020, followed by increased backing from other countries in Africa and the Middle East. Relations between Algeria and Morocco have deteriorated in recent years over the contested area, with Algeria severing diplomatic ties with Morocco in 2021.