
Sahara : The UN remains silent on Polisario's shots targeting MINURSO
The United Nations has remained silent in response to gunfire from Polisario militia targeting MINURSO patrols in the region east of the Sand Wall. This issue was raised during a press briefing by the UN Secretary-General's spokesperson last night. When asked about the incidents, Stéphane Dujarric chose not to confirm them, opting instead to delay his response. «I will have to look. I'll get back to you.», he said.
In March 2023, the UN also remained silent when the Polisario blocked a logistical convoy of peacekeepers from Morocco, which was en route to supply MINURSO's bases east of the Sand Wall, which was erected by the Royal Armed Forces (FAR).
The gunfire and the obstacles posed by the Polisario's militias to MINURSO's movements were discussed during a meeting on April 29 in New York between the Polisario's coordinator with MINURSO and Rosemary DiCarlo, the UN Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs and Peacebuilding.
«During this exchange, the UN official asked the Front's representative for explanations regarding the gunfire that targeted MINURSO patrols twice in April, as well as the blockade of a logistical convoy of peacekeepers», a Moroccan source close to the matter told Yabiladi.

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The Dominican Republic's representative encouraged all parties to seize the growing momentum around the initiative to reach a lasting and mutually acceptable agreement. Equatorial Guinea's representative called the Moroccan initiative «a constructive path to resolve this regional conflict» and praised Morocco's efforts in social and economic development in the Sahara, particularly in sustainable development, environmental protection, and the promotion of local culture. In the same vein, Guinea-Bissau's representative said his country's decision to open consulates in Laâyoune and Dakhla was a result of Morocco's commitment to the well-being of the Saharan population. He also voiced concern over the conditions faced by refugees in the Tindouf camps and condemned human rights violations there, particularly those affecting women and children. Kuwait's representative, speaking on behalf of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), welcomed UN efforts to resolve the conflict, including those of the Secretary-General and his personal envoy, Staffan de Mistura. He stressed the importance of respecting Morocco's sovereignty and territorial integrity and called for the creation of conditions conducive to renewed dialogue. The Polisario Front: Familiar Allies Weigh In As in past sessions, Venezuela stressed the urgent need to maintain a «political horizon» and to «struggle against colonialism, and expressed solidarity with the people of Western Sahara». Nicaragua described the issue of the Sahara as part of the «global battle against colonialism». Zimbabwe and Namibia reaffirmed their solidarity with the «Sahrawi people» in their «struggle for freedom, independence, and self-determination». South Africa's representative, echoing Algeria's stance, claimed that MINURSO had failed to fulfill its primary mandate of organizing a referendum and called for urgent UN measures to uphold this «long-promised right». The representative of Timor-Leste noted that economic interests «have complicated the political process and contributed to the perpetuation of the status quo». Finally, Belize expressed hope to see «the Sahrawi people, secure in their homeland, with a future that they determine themselves».