UN envoy for Western Sahara quits over health reasons

The UN envoy for Western Sahara, Horst Koehler, has resigned from his post due to health reasons, nearly two years after he took up the peacemaking mission, the United Nations said Wednesday.

Koehler, a former German president, was appointed in August 2017 to lead UN efforts to end the decades-old conflict between Morocco and the Algerian-backed Polisario Front.

The 76-year-old envoy relayed the news to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in a phone call on Wednesday, a UN statement said.

Guterres "deeply regretted the resignation but said he fully understood the decision and extended his best wishes to the personal envoy," it added.

In a statement, Morocco's foreign ministry said "the kingdom of Morocco notes with regret" Koehler's resignation, while crediting him "for the efforts he has made since his nomination."