The European Parliament Hosts International Conference on the Sahrawi Issue
The Conference, organized this Monday by the Association of Jurists for Western Sahara in cooperation with European Parliament members and the POLISARIO Front’s representation in Europe and the European Union, will address several key topics. These include the Sahrawi people’s right to self-determination, mechanisms for enforcing international law in Western Sahara, and the human rights situation in the occupied cities of Western Sahara.
The issue of natural resources will be a central focus, analyzed in light of the European Court of Justice (ECJ) rulings issued on October 4 of last year.
In statements to the media covering the conference, Mansur Omar, a member of the National Secretariat and ambassador responsible for Europe and European institutions, highlighted that the conference is being held at the European Parliament at a critical time when the EU Commission and Council are reviewing the ECJ decision.
The head of POLISARIO diplomacy in Europe and the EU emphasized that the POLISARIO Front has succeeded in challenging Morocco and its allies through legal victories. He stated that this now confronts the European public, elites, jurists, and politicians with a bitter reality that holds Europe accountable to its own institutions.
It is worth recalling one of the conclusions from the International Meeting of Jurists held on December 5-6 in Auserd under the theme: “The Legal Status of Western Sahara: The Issue of Natural Resources.” The rulings of October 4, 2024, which declared the nullity of the EU-Morocco trade and fishing association agreements, were based on a highly significant principle: any agreements affecting the territory of Western Sahara must have the consent of the Sahrawi people, who hold the right to self-determination. This consent cannot be substituted by that of the population settled in Western Sahara following the occupation.
