“A peaceful solution” to the Sahara conflict is “possible”, said on Thursday Mr. Horst Köhler, the personal envoy of the UN Secretary General for the Sahara at the end of a two-day roundtable held in Geneva. Speaking at a press conference, Mr. Köhler (a former German president) said the meeting was “first – but important – step” towards a renewed political process on the future of the Sahara. The ultimate goal is “to create an environment in the region that is conducive to strong economic growth, job creation and better security”, explained Mr. Köhler. one month ahead of the semi-annual meeting of the Security Council on the Sahara, scheduled for late April. The UN Envoy also underlined the significance of the Geneva meeting, saying that “the goal of this process is… to find a just, lasting and mutually acceptable solution” to the Sahara regional conflict.

Source: The North Africa Journal December 07, 2018 13:30 UTC