Addis Ababa, May 25, 2013 (SPS) - The Executive Council of the African Union approved, at the end of its 23rd ordinary session which coincides with OAU-AU Golden Jubilee, an official declaration, considered by the 54 Member States of the AU as the historic document that reflects the adherence of African people to the principles of liberation from colonialism and the total unity of the continent.
The Saharawi cause has been strongly supported by this official declaration made by countries of the continent, where they stressed their commitment to “the right of the people of Western Sahara to self-determination, so that the peoples of the continent can exercise sovereignty over their territories.”
This was part of an appeal on behalf of the African leaders for the “speedy end to the illegal occupation of the Chagos Islands and the island of Mayotte as well as adherence to right of self-determination of the people of Western Sahara, in the aim to enable these countries and their peoples of the genuine practice of sovereignty over their territories.”
After the discussion of the report presented by African Commission, the AU Executive Council adopted important decisions on Western Sahara.
Among these decisions, the Council entrusted African Commission to work in favour of organizing the self-determination referendum in Western Sahara, and to submit a report to the Council on this topic.
-The Council adhered to the relevant resolutions of the Organization of African Unity (OAU) and African Union (AU), in particular Tripoli Plan of Action on the elimination of conflicts in Africa endorsed by the Summit of Heads of State and Government of the African Union on 31 August 2009, which called for accelerating the organization of the referendum in Western Sahara.
-It therefore called for supporting the pertinent UN resolutions, by calling for direct negotiations in a good faith and without preconditions between the parties to the conflict, the Polisario Front and the Kingdom of Morocco, in order to reach a just, durable and acceptable solution ensuring the self-determination of the people of Western Sahara.
-The decision called on Chairperson of the African Union Commission to make efforts in order hold consultations with the parties and to continue to discuss with the UN and the rest of international partners concerned with this matter.
-It also asked her to prepare a report on the situation in Western Sahara and submitted it to the next regular session on January 2014. (SPS)
090/089/TRA