Bourita, Guterres Discuss Africa and Middle East as Sahara Talks Approach

New York, The Gulf Observer: Moroccan Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccan Expatriates Nasser Bourita met United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres in New York on Wednesday, with the two officials discussing peace and security issues in Africa and developments in the Middle East.

According to the United Nations, Guterres also expressed appreciation for Morocco’s contribution to UN peacekeeping operations.

The meeting comes ahead of the expected UN Security Council consideration of the Western Sahara issue and the future of the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO), whose current mandate is due to expire on October 31, 2026.

During the meeting, Guterres asked Bourita to convey his greetings to King Mohammed VI and expressed appreciation for Morocco’s engagement with multilateralism and the United Nations, according to Moroccan reports.

Bourita, for his part, conveyed the Moroccan monarch’s greetings and appreciation for cooperation between Morocco and the United Nations during Guterres’ tenure as Secretary-General.

The encounter takes place as diplomatic consultations intensify ahead of the Security Council’s consideration of the Sahara file. Resolution 2797, adopted in October 2025, extended the MINURSO mandate until October 31, 2026 and established a framework for UN-facilitated negotiations involving Morocco, the Polisario Front, Algeria and Mauritania.

The meeting also formed part of a broader series of diplomatic engagements in New York during the 81st session of the UN General Assembly.