The Personal Envoy of the UN Secretary-General for Western Sahara, Staffan de Mistura, arrived today, marking the start of his visit to the Sahrawi refugee camps, as reported by the Sahrawi News Agency (SPS).
De Mistura’s visit will include a tour of various facilities and institutions affiliated with the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic, allowing him to gain insight into their operations. According to SPS, he is also expected to hold discussions with several Sahrawi officials.
After his visit, the UN envoy is scheduled to meet with Sahrawi President Ibrahim Ghali, who also serves as the Secretary-General of the Polisario Front.
Sahrawis have emphasized that De Mistura’s visit to the refugee camps and his meetings with officials will provide an opportunity to reaffirm their commitment to self-determination, freedom, and independence.
This visit by the UN envoy is part of his preparations for the briefing he will deliver to the UN Security Council on October 16. It also aims to enhance communications with both the Popular Front for the Liberation of Saguia el-Hamra and Río de Oro (Polisario) and the Moroccan occupying state, as stated by Mohamed Sidi Amar, the Polisario Front’s representative to the UN and coordinator with the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO).
