Algerian Radio
Several Latin American and Caribbean nations have reaffirmed their steadfast support for the Sahraoui people’s right to self-determination and independence, in accordance with UN General Assembly Resolution 1514 (XV) regarding the granting of independence to colonial countries and peoples.
During the substantive session of the Special Committee on the Situation with regard to the Implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples (C-24), which began last Monday at the UN Headquarters in New York, the representative of Nicaragua reiterated her country’s recognition and support for the inalienable rights of the Sahraoui people to freedom, self-determination, and national sovereignty. She reaffirmed that the only just and final solution to this colonial situation lies in holding a self-determination referendum under UN supervision, as stipulated by the resolutions of the General Assembly and the Special Committee.
For her part, the representative of Venezuela emphasized her country's historical commitment to the cause of decolonization and its solidarity with the Sahraoui people. She recalled that since the establishment of diplomatic relations with the Sahraoui Republic in 1983, Venezuela’s position has remained firm: supporting the exercise of the Sahraoui people’s inalienable right to self-determination in accordance with international law, the UN Charter, and relevant resolutions from the Security Council, the General Assembly, and the African Union, particularly Resolution 1514 (XV).
The representative of Cuba noted that the General Assembly, the Security Council, and the African Union have adopted numerous resolutions on the Sahara Occidental issue since the Special Committee on Decolonization classified it as a territory subject to decolonization over 60 years ago. She stressed the necessity for the international community to commit to implementing UN resolutions. Furthermore, she reaffirmed Cuba's support for a just and lasting political solution leading to the self-determination of the people of Sahara Occidental, expressing her country's rejection of unilateral decisions that ignore the interests and rights of the Sahraoui people and violate international law.
In the same vein, the Deputy Permanent Representative of Belize to the UN expressed his country’s solidarity with the Sahraoui people in their legitimate aspirations to freely and fully exercise their right to self-determination. He recalled that the International Court of Justice (CIJ) confirmed that the right to self-determination is a peremptory norm (jus cogens) that cannot be derogated from, and affirmed its applicability to the people of Sahara Occidental. He added that despite more than sixty years since the issue was placed on the Special Committee's agenda, the decolonization process remains incomplete, expressing Belize’s concern over the ongoing wait of the Sahraoui people to exercise their fundamental rights.
Finally, the representative of Colombie reaffirmed his country's commitment to achieving a peaceful, just, and lasting political solution to the Sahara Occidental issue within the framework of the decolonization process and in accordance with the UN Charter.
