Banjul (Gambia), April 24, 2016 (SPS) - The African Commission on Human Rights and Peoples' Rights (ACHPR) called on the UN to set a date for holding the referendum on self-determination for the people of Western Sahara and to find an appropriate response to issues related to respect for human rights and the illegal exploitation of natural resources of the territory, in accordance with the decision of the AU conference of June 2014.
In a resolution adopted at its 58th Ordinary Session held from April 6 to 20, 2016, in Banjul, the ACHPR urged the UN Security Council to strengthen the mandate of the UN Mission for the Referendum in the Sahara Western (MINURSO), which expires on April 30 to include a human rights component.
It urges international organizations including the United Nations, the European Union, the World Bank and the African Development Bank and other members of the international community not to support or recognize trade agreements or otherwise the investment contrary to the rights of the people of Western Sahara, on their natural resources of Western Sahara.
AU human right organization called the Peace and Security Council of the AU and the Chairperson of the Commission of the African Union to continue the monitoring process, documentation and presentation of a report on the situation of human rights Western Sahara.SPS