Pretoria (South Africa) Feb 24, 2021 (SPS) - African movements of solidarity with the Sahrawi people organized an “African Virtual Conference to Commemorate the 45th Anniversary of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic” on Wednesday called the AU to quickly intervene to protect Sahrawi civilians from Moroccan violations and put an end to the Moroccan illegal occupation of Western Sahara.
Composed of African dignitaries and representatives of political parties, trade unions, civil society and academics from 45 countries, the participants expressed their “steadfast and unwavering support to the legitimate struggle of the people of the Sahrawi Republic for freedom and independence.”
They “called on all Pan-Africanists, who love freedom and peace, to stand by the people of this last colony because Africa will never be free as long as one of our nations is occupied and brutalized.”
They “urged all African countries, political parties, trade unions, civil society, NGOs, Academia, youth and women organizations and the media to give more visibility and shed light on the heroic resistance of the Sahrawi people.”
The Virtual Conference supports “the decision of the 34th AU Summit of Heads of States and Government held on 6 February 2021 that maintains the issue of Western Sahara as a standing item on its agenda.”
They also called the United Nations (UN) to “fulfill its promise to the people of Western Sahara 60 years ago, and organize the long-awaited referendum on self-determination so that the Sahrawi people can decide their future.”SPS