le droit du peuple sahraoui à l’autodétermination réaffirmé avec force au séminaire annuel du Comité de décolonisation
Support for Sahrawi Self-Determination at C24 Seminar in Timor-Leste
During the second day of the 2023 annual seminar of the Special Committee on Decolonization (C24) held in Dili, Timor-Leste, numerous delegations expressed strong support for the Sahrawi people’s right to self-determination. The discussions highlighted ongoing human rights violations in Western Sahara and the exploitation of its natural resources by Morocco.
Representatives from countries across Africa, Asia, and Latin America—including Bolivia, Cuba, Timor-Leste, Nicaragua, Ethiopia, Angola, Mozambique, South Africa, Namibia, Belize, and Venezuela—stressed that Western Sahara remains an unfinished decolonization issue. They called for an urgent resolution that adheres to relevant United Nations General Assembly and Security Council resolutions.
Participants noted that the issue of Western Sahara has been on the UN agenda since 1963 as a non-self-governing territory seeking decolonization. They emphasized the importance of international law and the immediate implementation of UN resolutions, allowing the Sahrawi people to exercise their inalienable right to self-determination through a free, fair, and transparent referendum.
Delegations insisted that negotiations without preconditions must occur between the conflicting parties, the Polisario Front and Morocco, placing the Sahrawi people’s right to self-determination at the heart of any resolution. They underscored this right as essential for resolving the conflict.
Algeria, represented by Abdelghani Merabet, Director General of Multilateral Relations at the Algerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, reiterated its unwavering support for just causes, drawing from its own experiences with colonization. Merabet highlighted the crucial role of the Committee in addressing the remnants of colonialism and reaffirmed Algeria’s support for the Sahrawi people’s legitimate right to self-determination. He lamented the lack of tangible progress towards conducting a referendum in Western Sahara, in line with UN resolution 1514.
Merabet outlined the legal fundamentals surrounding the Western Sahara issue, stating that no attempts at altering the territory’s demographic composition or any unilateral declarations could change its internationally recognized legal status as a non-self-governing territory.
Justice and International Rulings
In response to the Moroccan delegation’s usual claims, Merabet pointed out that history shows justice ultimately prevails. In the case of Western Sahara, justice has caught up with Morocco’s misleading narratives. He noted that the International Court of Justice (ICJ) had irrevocably ruled in 1975 that no sovereignty link exists between Morocco and Western Sahara.
Furthermore, he emphasized that recent rulings from both the European and African courts have reinforced the illegality of Morocco’s economic activities in Western Sahara. The Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) and the African Court on Human and People’s Rights have both concluded that Morocco’s exploitation of natural resources in the territory is unlawful.
Merabet observed that even sporting tribunals have condemned Morocco’s manipulations. The latest ruling from the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) reaffirmed the lack of sovereignty ties between Morocco and Western Sahara and criticized the use of maps on sports uniforms that misrepresent the territorial status recognized by the UN.
He also described Morocco’s autonomy proposal as a fundamentally flawed approach that threatens the foundations of international legal systems and the UN Charter. By insisting on this only as a framework for negotiations, Morocco is trying to revive outdated colonial paradigms, he argued.
Merabet pointed out that the UN Security Council has never prioritized Morocco’s autonomy plan, which has been on the table for 18 years without a dedicated discussion in the Council.
Moreover, Morocco continues to disregard the Sahrawi people’s wishes and their legitimate representative, the Polisario Front. According to UN decolonization doctrine, imposing a single option disregards the colonized population’s right to freely express their desire for independence.
In conclusion, Merabet reaffirmed Algeria’s commitment to supporting the Sahrawi people just as it has supported other rightful causes. He stated that Algeria is historically acknowledged as "the Mecca of revolutionaries," committed to the fight against colonialism and the promotion of self-determination.
