Maghreb Edition

Morocco complains to UN of Western Sahara truce violationsF

Posted On 12 January 2019

Number of times this article was read : 319

United Nations, United States, Jan 11, 2019 (AFP) – Morocco has accused Polisario Front fighters in Western Sahara of violating a ceasefire agreement, just weeks before an expected new round of talks on ending the decades-old conflict. In a letter seen by AFP on Friday, Morocco’s UN Ambassador Omar Hilale cited three incidents from January 6 to 8 in which the Polisario Front staged drills, drove military vehicles in a buffer zone and opened up a new facility.

Morocco “strongly condemns these destabilizing actions” that violate a military agreement and “dangerously threaten the ceasefire,” wrote Hilale in the letter sent to the UN Security Council on Thursday. He described the movements as “provocations” that could jeopardize UN-brokered talks on ending the Western Sahara conflict, and urged the Security Council and Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to condemn the Polisario.

Last month, Morocco sat down with the Polisario Front, Algeria and Mauritania for the first talks in six years aimed at settling the conflict over Western Sahara, which Rabat claims is an integral part of the kingdom. The Algeria-backed Polisario fought a war with Morocco from 1975 to 1991, when a ceasefire deal was agreed and a UN peace mission deployed to monitor the truce.

The Polisario Front is demanding a referendum on independence for the territory, which Morocco has flatly rejected. The conflict has remained frozen for decades, but Morocco and the Polisario agreed during last month’s talks brokered by UN envoy and former German president Horst Koehler in Geneva to meet again in early 2019.  The Moroccan ambassador said the second round of talks is expected in the coming weeks, but no date has been announced.

The North Africa Journal's WhatsApp Group
.

Most Recent Stories from the Region

Algeria and Niger Relaunch Trans-Saharan Gas Pipeline After Diplomatic Freeze$

Algeria and Niger have ended months of strained relations and announced the operational launch of the Trans-Saharan Gas Pipeline, a 4,000-kilometer project linking Nigerian gas fields to European markets through Niger and Algeria. The move signals both a diplomatic reset and a renewed push to position North Africa as a strategic energy corridor.

Morocco Detains Civic Activist Amid Online Speech Concerns$

Moroccan authorities have detained Mohammed Khalif,a Casablanca-based member of the youth movement GenZ212, following a home search and seizure of his computer. Charges have not yet been publicly disclosed. His arrest comes days after another GenZ212 member was prosecuted over alleged online incitement, raising questions about the legal climate surrounding youth activism and digital expression in Morocco.

Morocco’s Deficit Widens in Trade With Turkey$

Trade between Turkey and Morocco has accelerated sharply, surpassing $5 billion in recent exchanges and strengthening Ankara’s position in the Moroccan market. While the expansion reflects deeper economic integration, Moroccan policymakers are seeking investment-based solutions to address a widening trade imbalance and position the country as a regional production hub ahead of the 2030 World Cup.

Written by The North Africa Journal

The North Africa Journal is a leading English-language publication focused on North Africa. The Journal covers primarily the Maghreb region and expands its general coverage to the Sahel, Egypt, and beyond, when events in those regions affect the broader North Africa geography. The Journal does not have any affiliation with any institution and has been independent since its founding in 1996. Our position is to always bring our best analysis of events affecting the region, and remain as neutral as humanly possible. Our coverage is not limited to one single topic, but ranges from economic and political affairs, to security, defense, social and environmental issues. We rely on our full staff analysts and editors to bring you best-in-class analysis. We also work with sister company MEA Risk LLC, to leverage the presence on the ground of a solid network of contributors and experts. Information on MEA Risk can be found at www.MEA-Risk.com.