DR ‹ › Washington is intensifying its efforts on the Western Sahara issue. Donald Trump's envoy for Africa, Massad Boulos, has called for a new round of confidential negotiations in the U.S. capital on February 23 and 24, as reported by diplomatic sources cited by the Spanish newspaper El Confidencial. This marks the third meeting within a month, following earlier sessions in Washington at the end of January and in Madrid two weeks ago. At the negotiation table are the foreign ministers of Morocco, the Polisario Front, Algeria, and Mauritania. Also present are the U.S. ambassador to the UN, Michael Waltz, and the UN envoy Staffan de Mistura. In Munich, Boulos expressed his «optimism» about reaching a resolution «before the summer.» The discussions will center on Morocco's new 40-page autonomy plan, which offers more detail than the 2007 version. In October, the Security Council adopted Resolution 2797, spearheaded by Washington, which regards this initiative as the «most viable solution.» The plan proposes extensive administrative autonomy, encompassing health, education, and partial taxation, while Rabat retains sovereign powers. The King would appoint the regional president, a contentious point for the Polisario and Algeria. Tindouf and Algiers also challenge the expansion of the electorate to include Moroccans living in the territory and the terms for the return of refugees from the camps.
