During a UN Security Council meeting, Russia disappointed Algeria, while the United States supports the autonomy proposal.
Russia and Mozambique abstained from voting on Thursday on the decision to extend the mandate of the MINURSO mission in the Moroccan Sahara for an additional year until October 31, 2025.
Twelve members of the council, including the United States and France, approved the decision, while the Algerian representative left the room after two amendments he proposed were rejected.
The U.S. representative at the Security Council expressed “satisfaction with the council’s support for the efforts of Staffan de Mistura, the UN Secretary-General’s personal envoy to the Sahara, and the MINURSO mission.”
He added that “the council expressed its support for the UN’s efforts to reach an acceptable political solution,” while regretting “the lack of consensus on renewing the MINURSO mandate.”
The U.S. representative emphasized that “Washington considers the autonomy proposal serious and realistic” and stressed the “importance of reaching a political solution that satisfies all parties.”
He also highlighted “the Security Council members’ concerns about the ceasefire” and called for “an end to the fighting to preserve regional security,” adding that “there are concerns about human rights in the Tindouf camps.”
Russia also abstained from voting on Algeria’s proposed amendments regarding the MINURSO mission.
In this context, the Russian representative explained that “his abstention reflects Moscow’s firm stance, opposing the integration of human rights into the MINURSO mandate,” noting that “this does not align with the UN mission’s objective.”
