Shaheed El Hafed, June 22, 2026 (SPS) – The President of the Republic, Secretary-General of the Polisario Front, Mr. Brahim Ghali, presided on Monday over a farewell ceremony for the outgoing Representative of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Algeria, Mr. Alistair Bolton, upon the completion of his mission.
The event began with remarks by the President of the Sahrawi Red Crescent, Mr. Bouhbini Yahya, who praised Mr. Bolton’s tenure, describing it as one marked by dedicated efforts to alleviate the suffering of the Sahrawi people and support their resilience in pursuit of their legitimate aspirations and rights to freedom and independence.
The President of the Sahrawi Red Crescent noted that Mr. Bolton was a strong admirer of the Sahrawi experience, emphasizing that he consistently maintained a presence in the Sahrawi refugee camps and worked to coordinate the efforts of humanitarian organizations in order to mobilize the necessary support for the refugees.
For his part, President Brahim Ghali thanked the UNHCR representative for his efforts and commitment, as well as for his continuous coordination with various partners working to support the resilience of the Sahrawi people. He wished him a safe return to his country and a happy future, while also expressing appreciation for the work carried out by all cooperating organizations and institutions.
The farewell ceremony was attended by members of the National Secretariat and the government, representatives of national institutions, as well as representatives of various United Nations agencies, the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO), and non-governmental organizations operating in the Sahrawi refugee camps.
