Addis Ababa, July 16, 2012 (SPS) - Peace and Security Council of the African Union has voiced, in its report on peace and security in Africa, concern on the stalemate in the peace process in Western Sahara due to Morocco’s intransigence and its obstruction to the efforts made by the UN mediator Mr. Christopher Ross, aiming to reach a just, transparent and mutually agreed upon solution ensuring self-determination for the Saharawi people in the context of arrangements consistent with the principles, objectives and Charter of the United Nations.
The Council appealed to the Member States of the African Union to call on the Security Council to take “an approach creating appropriate conditions” enabling the Saharawi people to exercise their right to self-determination in line with the international legitimacy and African Union pertinent resolutions, including that of Peace Plan adopted by the Special Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union on 31 August 2009.
The report, which ratified Sunday by the 19th Summit of AU Heads of State and Government in a closed session, focused on the evaluation of peace process in Western Sahara during the period between the two summits, cautioning the continent's leaders that the situation became more complicated due to Rabat’s withdrawing confidence from the Ambassador Christopher Ross, in a time the UN Secretary General and some countries in the Security Council permanent members reiterated confidence in Ross and support to the mediation efforts.
The report also noted that Moroccan violations of human rights perpetuated in occupied Western Sahara confirmed by several reports of international organizations, which follow with complete concern the condition of the Saharawi political prisoners in Morocco’s jails, “a thing should not be tolerated especially by African societies,” added the report. (SPS)
090/089/TRA