Morocco evoked Spain’s support for the autonomy proposal for the Sahara this Monday at the United Nations Decolonization Committee, arguing the UN-backed proposal is “the only way to advance the resolution of the conflict.”
Moroccan ambassador to the UN Omar Hilale argued that “the realistic, pragmatic, and credible political solution, supported by the Security Council, can only be the Moroccan Autonomy Initiative, within the framework of Morocco’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.”
“This autonomy initiative enjoys growing international support,” hammered the official, listing governments who now support the plan, namely “Germany, Spain, Romania, the Netherlands, the Philippines, Serbia, and Hungary,” who have recently announced their support for the Autonomy Initiative, “joining the majority of Arab and African states that support the autonomy plan under the sovereignty of Morocco,” said Hilale.
Algeria’s delegation to the committee condemned what it called “Morocco’s forceful annexation of Saharawi territory.” However, according to Hilale, Algeria is responsible for the torture, kidnapping, and sequestration of Sahrawi citizens, citing a UN Human Rights Committee statement issued on Monday.
According to the ambassador, Algeria is in violation of international law. Addressing his Algerian counterpart, Hilale said: “You do not respect international legality, nor international law. You have imposed on Morocco a conflict for over 45 years. You have frozen the Maghreb. You have pushed the Polisario to violate the ceasefire and military agreements in order to try to destabilize the region.”
In response to Algeria’s allegations of decolonization of the Sahara, Hilale brought up Algeria’s own fight against separatists, saying: “You ask for self-determination, the decolonization of the Sahara, and you forget to decolonize the Kabyle people who are under Algerian occupation since Algeria became a state in 1962.”
The back and forth on the Western Sahara file once again dominated the C24’s discussion time, as dozens of countries took the floor throughout the day, either to voice support for the Moroccan autonomy plan or to demand alternative solutions to the conflict.
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