Geneva Seminar to Address Occupation and Self-Determination : A Comparison between Western Sahara and Palestine
GENEVA – The Geneva Group of Supportive States for the Sahrawi Cause held a meeting on September 4, 2024, to plan a seminar titled “Occupation and Self-Determination : A Comparison Between Western Sahara and Palestine.” This seminar, which is part of preparations for the 57th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council, will bring together experts, lawyers, and scholars to explore the theme of military occupation and its impact on self-determination. The event aims to address the responsibility of the international community in supporting these occupied regions, according to sources close to the Sahrawi mission in Geneva.
Scheduled for October 10, 2024, at the United Nations Human Rights Council headquarters, the seminar will be inaugurated by South African Ambassador Mxolisi Nkosi, representing the Geneva Group’s presidency. The event will feature prominent figures such as Gilles Devers, a well-known international lawyer who represents the Polisario Front before the European Court of Justice and advocates for the Palestinian cause at the International Criminal Court. Another key speaker will be Basque international law professor Juan Soroeta, known for his extensive research on the Western Sahara and Palestine, including his latest book, The Military Occupations in Western Sahara and Palestine : Two Identical Realities in Violation of International Law.
In addition, Palestinian legal expert Rania Al-Madi will discuss the current situation in Palestine and how recent international resolutions can be leveraged to end Zionist occupation. The seminar will conclude with a summary by Ambassador Ubbi Bushraya, the Polisario Front’s representative to the UN in Geneva, who will highlight the common struggles of the Palestinian and Sahrawi peoples. This event, organized by the Geneva Group, forms part of the 57th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council, which runs from September 9 to October 11, 2024.
