Pretoria, April 22, 2012 (SPS) - “South Africa is expected to conclude the Agreement on Political Consultations with the Saharawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR) and is committed to continue its humanitarian assistance programme,” reveals 2010-2011 report of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of South Africa.
The report indicated that South Africa along with Algeria “continued cooperation over the longstanding international dispute of the Western Sahara including collective support for the AU and UN multilateral efforts to find an equitable, peaceful and lasting solution to the conflict between the Saharawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR) and the Kingdom of Morocco.”
With regard to the illegal occupation of the Western Sahara the, the report emphasized that the situation was regard as “a decolonization issue whose resolution should be based on the right to self-determination for the people of Western Sahara through a referendum.”
The report also underlined, during the reporting period, several consultations took place at both political and senior government officials’ levels where concerns were raised regarding the violations of human rights in the occupied territories of Western Sahara, adding that South Africa “has called upon the UN to assume its responsibilities regarding the issue, by setting up a mechanism for the protection of Saharawi human rights.”
It added that the relations between the Kingdom of Morocco and South Africa remain strained as a result of South Africa’s principled position on the issue of the illegal occupation of the Western Sahara.
It finally pointed out that South Africa based its policy objectives on the following principles in support of stabilisation efforts in Western Sahara: promote the right to self-determination of the Saharawi people as enshrined in the UN Charter, support for the principle of decolonisation and the sanctity of colonial borders, respect for International Humanitarian Law and promotion of universal human rights, support for International Legality and Multilateralism in the resolution of the conflict, oppose exploitation of natural resources of the occupied Territory, support for sustainable humanitarian and development assistance to the Saharawi people, promote the integration and security and stability of the Maghreb region. (SPS)
090/089/TRA