Bir Lahlou (Sahrawi Republic), March 6, 2024 (SPS) - The President of the Republic, Secretary-General of the Polisario Front, Mr. Brahim Ghali, sent a letter to the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Mr. António Guterres, in which he drew his attention to what was reported by the Spanish media about the offer made by the Spanish Prime Minister during his recent visit to Rabat regarding the transfer of management of the airspace of Western Sahara to the Moroccan occupying state.
The President of the Republic warned that if the Spanish government’s intention to transfer management of the airspace of Western Sahara to the Moroccan occupying state is confirmed, this would constitute a violation of the international status of the territory as a territory included in the United Nations list awaiting decolonization, as well as of Spain’s international obligations as the administering state of Western Sahara.
Mr. Brahim Ghali added that this step would also further destabilize the ongoing efforts made by the Personal Envoy of the Secretary-General for Western Sahara, Mr. Staffan de Mistura, to revive the stalled United Nations peace process in Western Sahara, which is undergoing serious developments due to the violation of the Moroccan occupying state of the 1991 ceasefire on November 13, 2020.
The President of the Republic stated that, for decades, and as shown in the relevant maps of the International Civil Aviation Organization, the airspace of Western Sahara remains under the management of Spanish air traffic controllers in the Canary Islands, which is consistent with the international responsibility of Spain as the administering power of the territory in accordance with United Nations resolutions and legal opinions.
SPS