Lisbon, 30 November 2024 (SPS) - The Prime Minister, Bouchraya Hamoudi Bayoun, stated on Friday that the 48th conference of the European Coordination of Committees of Solidarity with the Sahrawi People (EUCOCO), held in the Portuguese capital Lisbon, confirms the expansion of the international solidarity movement with the Sahrawi people's struggle for freedom and independence.
Speaking on the first day of the EUCOCO conference at the University of Lisbon, the Sahrawi Prime Minister emphasized that this European meeting of solidarity with the Sahrawi people is particularly significant as it coincides with the 50th anniversary of the "Carnation Revolution" and the beginning of the decolonization process in African countries that were under Portuguese colonial rule.
The Sahrawi official considered this meeting a "valuable opportunity" to assess the progress made and outline the way forward, calling for the utilization of such gatherings to make "decisions on the best ways to coordinate our efforts and to take more realistic and concrete actions for the coming years."
The Prime Minister recalled the decision of the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU), issued on October 4, which reaffirmed the illegality of the agreements between the European Union and Morocco. He deemed this a historic victory for the Sahrawi people, their cause, and solidarity movements, especially in Europe, stating it is "important" to leverage this legal tool as a means of deterrence to end the plundering of Sahrawi natural resources by the Moroccan occupation in complicity with European parties.
Despite these firm legal decisions, the Prime Minister added, the European Union's stance on the Sahrawi issue "remains marked by indifference, contradictions, and even complicity with the occupying state," reminding of "Europe's responsibility that has renounced its commitments as an administering power regarding the decolonization of the territory."
"Europe is responsible for the continuation of the conflict as countries like France and Spain have openly expressed their support for the expansionist project of the occupying state, coinciding with the CJEU's decision and the recent decision by the Security Council emphasizing its commitment to help the parties reach a fair, lasting, and mutually acceptable political solution based on a compromise in favor of the self-determination of the people of Western Sahara, as well as the decision of the Decolonization Committee reaffirming the international status of Western Sahara as a decolonization issue and the responsibility of the United Nations towards the Sahrawi people," he asserted.
Regarding France's position, Mr. Bouchraya expressed regret that a country claiming to uphold democracy does not respect international law.
The Prime Minister reaffirmed that the only possible solution is to allow the Sahrawi people to exercise their right to self-determination in accordance with the 1991 referendum. Bouchraya also expressed his gratitude in his speech to all those who contributed in any way to the preparation and organization of this event, praising the considerable efforts made by the friends of Western Sahara from the Portugal-Western Sahara Friendship Association (AAPSO), in close collaboration with the working group and the representation of the Polisario Front in Portugal.