United Nations reaffirms responsibility towards Western Sahara

The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) has unanimously adopted Resolution 78/85 reaffirming the UN's responsibility towards the Sahrawi people and further calling on the Special Committee on the Situation regarding the Implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples (Committee of 24) to persist in evaluating the status of Western Sahara as "a territory subject to decolonisation."

The adoption of Resolution 78/85, which took place under item 58 of the General Assembly's agenda at the 78^th session, focusing on the implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples, occurred without a vote, Sahara Press Service reports.

“The resolution reiterates once again the inalienable right of the Sahrawi people to self-determination and independence in accordance with the principles enshrined in the United Nations Charter and General Assembly Resolution 1514 (XV) containing the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples," the representative of the Polisario Front to the United Nations and coordinator with MINURSO, Sidi Mohamed Omar said.

He added, “The resolution passed by the General Assembly effectively endorses and confirms the text and spirit of the resolution adopted by the Fourth Committee on October 11, 2023.”

The General Assembly in response to the resolution, directed the Committee of 24 to furnish a comprehensive report on the Western Sahara situation during its 79th session. Additionally, the General Assembly urged the UN Secretary-General to present a report on the progress of implementing this resolution in the upcoming session.

Omar requested the Committee of 24 to continue to consider the situation in Western Sahara and that their action "unequivocally confirms the firm position of the United Nations on the international status of the question of Western Sahara as a decolonization issue registered since 1963 on the agenda of the United Nations General Assembly and its relevant bodies, in accordance with Chapter XI of the Charter of the United Nations."

An official of Western Sahara said, "the General Assembly's reaffirmation of the legal status of the Western Sahara issue as a decolonization issue and the responsibility of the international organization towards the Sahrawi people constitutes another strong blow to the Moroccan occupation state and its attempts to distort the international status of the Sahrawi issue and undermine the legitimate struggle of the Sahrawi people for freedom and independence.”

Western Sahara, located on the northwest coast of Africa, is a contentious territory. Approximately 20% of the land is governed by the self-proclaimed Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic, while the remaining 80% is under the occupation and administration of neighbouring Morocco.