Spain's head of government has disappointed both the Polisario and Algeria. In his address to the 79th session of the UN General Assembly, Pedro Sanchez reaffirmed that «Spain will continue to support the UN Secretary-General's Personal Envoy in seeking a mutually acceptable solution within the framework of the Organization», according to a press release from the Spanish Presidency. Once again, Sanchez avoided mentioning «the right to self-determination of the people of Western Sahara» and «the organization of a referendum» in the Sahara. To find such references aligning with the Polisario's position, one must go back to his 2018 speech at the UN General Assembly. For the record, the April 7, 2022 Joint Declaration, following talks between King Mohammed VI and Pedro Sanchez, states that «Spain considers the Moroccan autonomy initiative, submitted in 2007, as the most serious, realistic, and credible basis for resolving this dispute». Since then, Sanchez has consistently reiterated this stance. The Spanish Prime Minister's speech at the UN General Assembly was largely ignored by both the Polisario and Algerian media.
