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U.S. and U.N. roles at odds in Western Sahara

Pro-independence leaders in Western Sahara want the Biden administration to resolve a contradiction: U.S. policy runs counter to U.N.-led peace efforts.

A 2019 SADC conference for self-determination in Western Sahara co-hosted by South Africa and Namibia
A 2019 SADC conference for self-determination in Western Sahara co-hosted by South Africa and Namibia (AN/S.A.)

Pro-independence leaders in Western Sahara want U.S. President-elect Joe's Biden incoming administration to resolve an apparent contradiction: shifting U.S. foreign policy runs counter to U.N.-led peace efforts in the disputed region.

That new policy, set in motion by U.S. President Donald Trump last month, led to U.S. Ambassador David Fischer's visit on Sunday to Western Saharan port Dakhla "to launch the official process for opening a U.S. consulate facility in Morocco’s Southern Provinces and to demonstrate the U.S. commitment to supporting the region’s economic development," the U.S. Embassy in Morocco said.

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