SADC Reaffirms Solidarity with Western Sahara’s Struggle for Self-Determination

Heads of State and Government of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) reaffirmed their solidarity with the people of Western Sahara in their legitimate struggle for self-determination during the organization’s 45th Ordinary Summit, held Sunday in Antananarivo, Madagascar.

In its final communiqué, the summit emphasized its support for Western Sahara, highlighting the importance of international recognition of the Sahrawi people’s right to self-determination. Leaders welcomed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between SADC and the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR), considering it a significant step toward strengthening cooperation and supporting the Sahrawi cause.

The summit further underlined the complementary nature of the United Nations-led process on Western Sahara’s self-determination and stressed the need for harmonization between the implementation of the SADC-SADR MoU, the UN process, and the broader initiatives undertaken by the African Union (AU). SADC reiterated its unwavering position that the people of Western Sahara have an inalienable right to self-determination and called on the UN Security Council to include a mechanism for human rights protection in the mandate of the UN Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO). (APS)