Some 1,987 candidates in the province of Oued Eddahab are running to win 161 seats in the legislative, regional and communal elections, according to data provided by local authorities.

Sierra Leonean diplomat Zainab Candy was installed, on Monday, as her country's consul general in Dakhla.

The Republic of Congo welcomed, on Thursday, the Moroccan autonomy initiative for a final settlement of the Sahara issue.

Saint Lucia has expressed, before the United Nations C-24, its support for the autonomy initiative as a "solution of compromise" to the Moroccan Sahara issue.

The UN Secretary General, Antonio Guterres, announced on Friday the appointment of Russian Alexander Ivanko as his Special Representative for the Sahara and head of MINURSO.