Algeria's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ahmed Attaf, received his Polisario «counterpart», Mohamed Sidati, in Algiers on Sunday, August 11. «The meeting was devoted to examining and discussing developments on the issue of decolonization in Western Sahara, in light of the report recently presented by the UN Secretary-General, as well as the prospects for future diplomatic efforts in this regard, whether at the level of the Security Council or the UN General Assembly», the Algerian Foreign Ministry said in a statement. The two parties «also discussed a number of issues related to the continental agenda within the framework of the African Union, as well as the partnerships linking the continental organization with various international players», added the same source. For the record, at the last session of the AU Executive Council, held in Ghana in July, Algeria criticized the Polisario's exclusion from meetings with the African Union's international partners. On the sidelines of this same event, Ahmed Attaf and Mohamed Sidati held a working meeting in Accra on July 19. In early October, the UN Secretary-General is due to present a new report on the situation in the Sahara to the members of the Security Council. Towards the end of October, UN Security Council members will adopt a new resolution extending MINURSO's mandate. For its part, the 4th UN Commission will address the Sahara issue during the same period.
