Forum of Solidarity with Sahrawi People: Decolonization of Western Sahara is UN’s responsibility.

The participants in the Diplomatic Forum of Solidarity with the Sahrawi People affirmed Friday that the decolonization of Western Sahara is the responsibility of the United Nations (UN), stressing that the end of the current impasse requires real support from the Security Council to the UN envoy for Western Sahara, Staffan de Mistura.

After the 3rd edition of the Forum, which coincides with the 52nd anniversary of the Intifada of Zemla, the participants stressed the need to implement the international decisions on the conflict in Western Sahara.

The forum was attended by ambassadors and embassy representatives of African and Latin American countries, such as South Africa (organizer of the event), Angola, Kenya, Vietnam, Venezuela, Ethiopia, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Ghana, Cuba and Mali, in addition to Algeria and the Algerian National Committee of Solidarity with the Sahrawi people (CNASPS).

In their recommendations, the diplomats stressed the need to exert pressure to achieve a rapid solution based on international legality, to prevent the plundering by Morocco of natural resources in the occupied Sahrawi territories, to respect human rights, and to release Sahrawi political detainees.

They called for the extension of the prerogatives of MINURSO to human rights, following the example of other UN peacekeeping missions.

For his part, the Sahrawi ambassador, AbdelkaderTaleb Omar said that the forum is a valuable contribution to sharing with the Sahrawi people the celebration of this anniversary and reaffirming the solidarity and support for their struggle to recover their legitimate rights to freedom and independence.

It is also an opportunity to review the latest developments of the Sahrawi issue and exchange views on actions to be taken in support of this cause, he said.

The escalation and obstacles erected by the Makhzen, as well as the silence and inaction of the United Nations (UN) are the main reasons behind the resumption of the armed struggle and all the tensions in the region, following the killing of Sahrawi civilians by drones, the tightening of the siege, repression and media blackout imposed on the occupied territories, in addition to the plundering of Sahrawi resources and the hindrance of UN efforts, he continued.

Taleb Omar accused parties active in the UN Security Council of providing protection to Morocco, stressing that the latter has not succeeded in removing the conflict from the UN framework and is deprived of legitimacy by remaining in Western Sahara.