UNGA: World Leaders Reaffirm Support for Sahrawi Right to Self-Determination
Leaders of several countries reiterated, during the 80th session of the UN General Assembly in New York, their countries’ longstanding positions in support of the Sahrawi people and their right to self-determination, in line with United Nations resolutions.
From the UN rostrum, Namibia’s President, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, denounced what she described as the “deadlock and impasse” prevailing at the Security Council over the question of Western Sahara, stressing that “this situation at the Security Council on Western Sahara is an injustice dating back more than 34 years, since the adoption of Resolution 690 in 1991.”
“It is high time to hold the referendum in Western Sahara, under the auspices of the United Nations, to allow the Sahrawi people to exercise their right to self-determination,” the Namibian President declared.
For its part, South Africa reiterated its firm position in support of the Sahrawi people and their just cause. President Cyril Ramaphosa affirmed that his country “supports the Sahrawi people’s right to self-determination.”
“We assume our responsibility as member states of the UN General Assembly to reaffirm our support for the inalienable right of the Sahrawi people to self-determination,” Ramaphosa said.
Meanwhile, Spain’s King Felipe VI emphasized the need to resolve the Western Sahara conflict in line with international law and relevant UN resolutions.
In his address to UN member states, the Spanish monarch assured that his country “will continue to support efforts undertaken by the United Nations to strengthen international peace and security, through its institutional bodies and the action of its special envoys, including the Secretary-General’s Personal Envoy for Western Sahara, Staffan de Mistura.”
King Felipe VI stressed that one of Spain’s priorities is “to contribute to United Nations efforts to achieve a political and consensual solution to conflicts in the region, in accordance with international norms, including the issue of Western Sahara.”
On this occasion, he commended the efforts of UN envoy Staffan de Mistura, reaffirming that Spain will maintain its support for his initiatives aimed at advancing “an acceptable solution on Western Sahara, in line with United Nations standards.”
