The Secretary-General learned with sadness the death today of Mohamed Abdelaziz, who served as Secretary-General of the Frente Polisario beginning in 1976. 
 

Over the years, Mr. Abdelaziz was a central figure in the search for a resolution of the Western Sahara conflict. In this capacity, he met with numerous United Nations officials, including successive Secretaries-General, most recently in March, during the Secretary-General's visit to the Western Saharan refugee camps near Tindouf, Algeria. 

The Secretary-General offers his condolences to Mr. Abdelaziz’s family and to the Frente Polisario as they mourn his untimely loss. He looks forward to continuing to work to help the parties to achieve a mutually acceptable political solution, which will provide for the self-determination of the people of Western Sahara.

New York, 31 May 2016