Pretoria (South Africa), June 05, 2018 (SPS) - The presidents of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR), Brahim Ghali, and of South Africa, Cyril Ramaphosa, reiterated today in a joint comunique their satisfaction at the level of mutual cooperation, solidarity and bilateral relations between the SADR and South Africa.
The joint statement following the official visit of the Saharawi President to South Africa, underlines that during their discussions, the two Heads of State reviewed matters of mutual bilateral, continental and international interest. The two Presidents further expressed satisfaction at the level of cooperation, solidarity and friendship that stems from the historical, political and fraternal bonds that bind the two countries.
The two Heads of State expressed their full support and confidence in the efforts undertaken by the United Nations Secretary General Personal Envoy for Western Sahara H.E. Horst Kohler, to bring the parties together and mobilise the international community to implement all United Nations Resolutions on Western Sahara.
The two Heads of State expressed their full support and confidence in the efforts undertaken by the African Union (AU) Special Envoy for Western Sahara, His Excellency former President Joaquim Chissano of Mozambique and their commitment for a speedy implementation of the 30th Summit of the African Union (Assembly/AU/Dec. 677 (XXX) calling on the two member states to engage without preconditions in direct and serious talks to put an end to their conflict.
The two Presidents emphasised that, with her admission into the African Union, the Kingdom of Morocco has an obligation to adhere to the principles and goals enshrined in the African Union Constitutive Act, especially the need to respect colonial borders as they existed at the time of independence.
President Ramaphosa reaffirmed South Africa’s continued support for the inalienable rights of the people of Western Sahara to self-determination and independence and noted with concern the continued reports of human rights abuses in the occupied territories as well as the continued illegal exploitation of the natural resources in the occupied territories.
For his part, President Gali welcomed the decision of the SADC Heads of State and Government to hold a Solidarity Conference on the Western Sahara, with the aim of mobilising international support for the plight of the Saharawi People as the last Colony on the African Continent. In this regard, President Ramaphosa reiterated South Africa’s commitment to the decision taken by SADC in August 2017 to convene the SADC Solidarity Conference on Western Sahara.
Ramaphosa claimed that the triumph of the South African people against apartheid showed that no system, no matter how oppressive, can deny forever the desire of a people to be free.
"We are sure that the Sahrawis will soon be free," said the President, adding that the African liberation will not be complete without the independence of Western Sahara. SPS
125/090/TRA