Senegal's Minister of African Integration, Foreign Affairs and Senegalese Abroad, Cheikh Niang, reaffirmed in New York that "the Sahara is Moroccan and realism must guide everyone" toward a solution to the regional dispute, according to Senegalese media reports.
Niang made the statement on Tuesday during the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly, where world leaders are gathered for the annual high-level debate. His remarks echo Senegal's longstanding position of support for Morocco's sovereignty over the disputed territory.
The Western Sahara dispute pits Morocco against the Polisario Front, which seeks independence. The United Nations has been trying to broker a settlement for decades, and the Security Council most recently extended the mandate of the UN peacekeeping mission, MINURSO, in October 2025.
Senegal is one of several African countries that have opened consulates in the Moroccan-administered cities of Laayoune and Dakhla, a move that Rabat presents as international recognition of its claims. No details were immediately available on whether Niang's remarks were part of a formal statement or a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the General Assembly.
