Madrid (Spain) 27 September 2024 (SPS) – The parliamentary group of Sumar Party, which is part of the Spanish governing coalition, requested the Spanish Congress to provide urgent humanitarian aid to Sahrawi refugee camps in order to alleviate the effects of the recent floods, particularly in Dakhla camp, according to the Sahrawi media mission in Spain.
The initiative seeks to mobilize the Spanish Agency for International Cooperation and the State Secretariat for International Cooperation to respond to the difficult conditions in the Sahrawi refugee camps, which are facing resource shortages and damage caused by the devastating floods that recently hit the region.
Members of Parliament Francisco Sierra, Teslem Sidi, and Toni Valero reminded local media of Spain's legal responsibility towards the Sahrawi people and stressed the importance of focusing attention on the Sahrawi refugee camps.
In their assessment of meetings with various NGOs working on the ground, the parliamentarians emphasized that solidarity with the Sahrawi people is a sentiment and principle held by the majority across all regions of Spain.
The situation in the camps worsened following the floods that are hitting the region since September 19, displacing more than 520 families and destroying many homes. The Sahrawi Red Crescent declared Dakhla Province a disaster zone and called for international assistance to provide shelter, food, drinking water, and hygiene supplies to prevent disease outbreaks.
In response to this situation, Sumar urged the Spanish government to approve a budget allocation of 10 million euros, less than half of the 26 million euros needed until December, to mitigate the crisis and meet the most urgent needs of the refugee population, according to the Sahrawi media mission in Spain.
Additionally, both the Sahrawi Red Crescent and NGOs called on the international community to take immediate action to relieve the suffering of Sahrawi refugees and address the damage caused by the floods that hit the region. (SPS)
TR- 090/500/60 (SPS)