Algeria plans ‘World Youth Forum’ for the Saharawi people
Algeria is preparing to host a “World Youth Forum in Solidarity with the Saharawi People” scheduled for October 2025, Yabiladi reported on August 1st.
The event, organised and funded by the Algerian government, is positioned amid ongoing geopolitical tensions surrounding the Western Sahara dispute.
Algeria’s role as host highlights its longstanding support for the Polisario Front, the Saharawi independence movement opposed by Morocco.
The Western Sahara conflict, rooted in post-colonial disputes after Spain’s 1975 withdrawal, pits the irredentist government in Rabat against the Polisario Front, which has its headquarters based in Tindouf, Algeria.
On July 31st, 2025, Algerian Minister of Youth and Sports Mustapha Hidaoui met with Khatri Adouh, the Polisario Front representative in Algeria, reiterating his commitment to “create all the necessary conditions to guarantee the success of this event and achieve the objectives set.” This follows a coordination meeting held in May 2025 between Algerian officials and Polisario representatives to lay the groundwork for the forum.
The timing of the forum is notable, coinciding with the United Nations Security Council’s review of the Western Sahara question and the opening of the UN’s Fourth Committee sessions, which focus on decolonisation issues. Algeria’s efforts to rally international youth support for the Saharawi cause via this forum suggest a strategic attempt to influence global public opinion and maintain pressure in diplomatic channels.
In preparation for the forum, Algeria is also hosting senior executives of the Saharawi Republic at the Boumerdès Summer University from August 2nd to August 13th, 2025. This event serves as a platform for Saharawi political and social leaders, but the nature and impact of their discussions remain opaque.
Given the ongoing stalemate in the Western Sahara conflict and the complex international dynamics involved, it remains uncertain how much tangible progress or influence such events will generate beyond Algeria’s established political messaging. The forum may well reinforce existing narratives rather than open new avenues for resolution.
Yabiladi, Maghrebi.org
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