27 Mar 2019

The Southern African Development Community (SADC) has declared unwavering commitment to ensuring the right to freedom and self-determination of the people of Western Sahara.

SADC made the commitment following a two-day solidarity conference with the Saharawi Arab Democratic Republic in Pretoria, South Africa this week which was attended by Vice President Mr Slumber Tsogwane. 

“Through this solidarity conference we SADC member states and all countries and organisations present reaffirm our unwavering support for the realisation of the inalienable right of the people of Western Sahara to self-determination consistent with the Charter of the United Nations (UN) as well as the African Union (AU) Constitutive Act,” reads a joint statement.

“We reiterate the role of the AU, in particular, the AU Peace and Security Council and the Troika in remaining seized with the question of Western Sahara and maintaining momentum of the international community and in particular the UN Security Council to treat the issue of Western Sahara with a greater sense of urgency.” 

SADC has called on the UN to immediately put in place a monitoring mechanism aimed at stopping the exploitation of Western Sahara’s resources.

It recommends that the mechanism should have penalties and other remedial measures to address any breaches.

Speaking at the conference,  Western Sahara president Mr Brahim Ghali had decried the exploitation of natural resources by Morocco and pleaded that the country be stopped  from what he termed gross human rights violation. 

SADC further recommended that AU regional economic communities and mechanisms use their institutional relations with the European Union to raise the issue of Western Sahara.

“We urge the international community to offer material and moral support including educational scholarships to the people of Western Sahara. We call upon the international community and the AU to assess the immediate humanitarian needs, especially of Western Sahara women and children living in refugee camps and mobilise material resources to assist. We urge the political parties and civil society organisations in the SADC region to highlight the matter of Western Sahara in their constituencies and countries,” says the statement.

The bloc called for full respect of  international human rights in occupied territories of Western Sahara and urged the UN Security Council to include human rights monitoring within the UN mission in Western Sahara with the aim of ending impunity, violations and abuse.

SADC welcomed UN efforts, especially those of the UN secretary-general’s personal envoy for Western Sahara Mr Horst Kohler that led to the convening of talks between Morocco and the Polisario Front in Geneva December 5-6 last year and last week in Bursins, Switzerland.

The bloc praised the invaluable role played by the Organisation of African Unity in finding a mutually acceptable solution to the conflict from 1976 and the readmission of Western Sahara as a member of the organisation in 1982.

SADC applauded the role AU played in advancing the cause for Western Sahara’s right to self-determination. 

The decision to support Western Sahara has been taken in a number of SADC fora and structures. 

The SADC Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation resolved in its July 17-21, 2017 meeting held in Tanzania to convene a solidarity conference on Western Sahara. ENDS