Rabat, Feb. 24, 2016 (SPS) - The Personal Envoy of the Secretary General of the United Nations for Western Sahara, Christopher Ross arrived in Rabat where he met Tuesday with Moroccan Minister Delegate to the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Nacer Bourita, report news sources.
Wednesday, Mr. Ross will meet with the Moroccan Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Salaheddine Mezouar, say the same sources.
During his tour in the region, Ross had visited Algeria and was received by the Minister of State, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Ramtane Lamamra, and the Minister for Maghreb Affairs, African Union and the Arab League, Abdelkader Messahel.
Ross-Lamamra meeting focused on the question of Western Sahara and the prospects for its settlement, "according to a statement from the Algerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs stressed that the two sides" had also discussed preparations for the visit of the Secretary General the UN, Ban Ki-moon expected in Algeria on 6 and 7 March. "
The situation in the region, Africa and the Middle East and the question of terrorism and all the threats to the international peace and security will be in the agenda of the visit, the source added.
On this occasion, Messahel reiterated "support of Algeria to the efforts of the UN Secretary General and his Personal Envoy to revive the process of political settlement of the question of Western Sahara."
As part of the same tour, Ross went to Spain where he had received guarantees for the continuation of the Spanish authorities support to UN efforts to find a just and lasting peaceful solution to the Saharawi question likely to enable the Saharawi people to exercise their right to freedom and self-determination.
"Spain supports international efforts to find a just and lasting political solution (...) that guarantees the right of the Saharawi people to self-determination", affirmed the Spanish Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Ignacio Ibanez, reported the Spanish news agency EFE.
"Spain will continue its support the efforts of the UN and his Personal Envoy for Western Sahara to reach a solution facilitating access of the Saharawi people's right to freedom and self-determination" , said the Spanish Ministry quoted by EFE.
UN envoy Christopher Ross arrived Monday in Spain after a tour that had taken him to Algeria, the Saharawi refugee camps and Mauritania as part of an official visit to the region.
Moreover, the Spanish Coordination of associations of solidarity and friendship with the Saharawi people has recently hoped that 2016 could bring positive change through the "Spanish government change", in support of the legitimate rights and aspirations of the people of Western Sahara to self-determination and independence.
Registered since 1966 on the list of Non-Self-governing territories therefore eligible for the application of resolution 1514 of the General Assembly of the UN, Western Sahara is the last colony in Africa, occupied since 1975 by Morocco. SPS
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