On the Sahara issue, the Trump administration is pushing for the resumption of negotiations involving Morocco, Algeria, the Polisario Front, and Mauritania. This condition was reiterated on Monday, November 3, by Massad Boulos. The Special Advisor to U.S. President Donald Trump for Africa, Massad Boulos, spoke to France 24 Arabic about the new phase following the adoption of UN Security Council Resolution 2797 on Western Sahara. «We are counting on the wisdom of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, President Abdelmadjid Tebboune, and the Algerian people to address this new stage», Boulos said. «The Algerians have assured us that they are open to dialogue with Morocco», he added. The American diplomat recalled his visit to Algiers in late July and his talks with President Tebboune, as well as a meeting with Foreign Minister Ahmed Attaf on the sidelines of the 80th session of the UN General Assembly held last September in New York. Adopting a measured diplomatic tone, Boulos noted that Resolution 2797 «keeps the door open to proposals that will be presented by the parties during negotiations». The text indeed stipulates that discussions will be based on Morocco's Autonomy Plan, with the aim of reaching «a just, lasting, and mutually acceptable political solution in accordance with the UN Charter», while also welcoming «any constructive suggestions from the parties regarding this autonomy proposal». Four Parties to Join Negotiations Boulos clarified that «Morocco, the Polisario Front, Algeria, and Mauritania are involved in the negotiations» that the United States is expected to host in the coming weeks or months. He added that «President Donald Trump encourages the four parties to engage in talks without preconditions, to reach a solution acceptable to all». It is worth recalling that Rabat has consistently insisted on Algeria's participation in these peace meetings. The next step, as announced by King Mohammed VI in his October 31 speech, will involve «updating and refining the Autonomy Proposal before submitting it to the United Nations». On Monday, November 3, Algeria and the Polisario met in Algiers to prepare for this upcoming phase. During the interview, Boulos sidestepped a sensitive question about the referendum demanded by Algeria and the Polisario, stating: «It is up to the parties to decide during the dialogue, whether through a vote or elections. They may reach a solution without a referendum». In contrast to the remarks made the previous day by Algerian Foreign Minister Ahmed Attaf, the notion of a referendum is absent from the text adopted on October 31 by the Security Council, an option that has not appeared in any UN resolutions on Western Sahara since 2007.
