New York (United Nations), October 18, 2015 (SPS) the representative of Mozambique to the United Nations, Antonio Gumende called for "concrete actions by the United Nations to enable the Saharawi people to exercise their right to self-determination ".
Speaking before the UN 4th Committee, Mr. Gumende said that "the right to self-determination is an inalienable part of universal human rights. "Deny the colonized is contrary to the principles of the Charter of the United Nations and represents an obstacle to world peace, stability, cooperation and respect for human rights".
He also regretted the existence of certain territories under foreign occupation, including Western Sahara, calling for "concrete actions on the part of the United Nations to allow the Sahrawi people to exercise their right to self-determination".
"Mozambique supports the efforts of the international community, and in particular those of the African Union designed to hold the referendum on self-determination of the Sahrawi people postponed for so long," he said.
He also commended the efforts of Mr. Joaquim Chissano, former President of Mozambique, in his capacity as Special Envoy of the African Union for the Western Sahara. (SPS)
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