New York (United Nations) 17 October 2019 (SPS)- The 74th Session of the Special Political and Decolonisation Committee (Fourth Committee) adopted a resolution Wednesday evening reaffirming the right of the people of Western Sahara to self-determination and independence.
The resolution, which was adopted unanimously by 193 countries stressed reaffirmed “the inalienable right of all peoples to self-determination and independence, in accordance with the principles set forth in the Charter of the United Nations and General Assembly resolution 1514 (XV) of 14 December 1960 containing the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples.”
It further recalled that “all available options for self-determination of the Territories are valid as long as they are in accordance with the freely expressed wishes of the people concerned and in conformity with the clearly defined principles contained in General Assembly resolutions 1514 (XV) and 1541 (XV) of 15 December 1960 and other resolutions of the Assembly,” a position that certainly goes against the Moroccan desire to impose its colonial fait accompli in Western Sahara.
Following is the full text of the resolution as published on the website of the UN:
Seventy-fourth session
Special Political and Decolonization Committee
(Fourth Committee)
Agenda item 59
Implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples
resolution submitted by the Chair
Question of Western Sahara
The General Assembly,
Having considered in depth the question of Western Sahara,
Reaffirming the inalienable right of all peoples to self-determination and independence, in accordance with the principles set forth in the Charter of the United Nations and General Assembly resolution 1514 (XV) of 14 December 1960 containing the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples,
Recognizing that all available options for self-determination of the Territories are valid as long as they are in accordance with the freely expressed wishes of the people concerned and in conformity with the clearly defined principles contained in General Assembly resolutions 1514 (XV) and 1541 (XV) of 15 December 1960 and other resolutions of the Assembly,
Recalling its resolution 73/107 of 7 December 2018,
Recalling also all resolutions of the General Assembly and the Security Council on the question of Western Sahara,
Recalling further Security Council resolutions 658 (1990) of 27 June 1990, 690 (1991) of 29 April 1991, 1359 (2001) of 29 June 2001, 1429 (2002) of 30 July 2002, 1495 (2003) of 31 July 2003, 1541 (2004) of 29 April 2004, 1570 (2004) of 28 October 2004, 1598 (2005) of 28 April 2005, 1634 (2005) of 28 October 2005, 1675 (2006) of 28 April 2006 and 1720 (2006) of 31 October 2006,
Underlining the adoption of Security Council resolutions 1754 (2007) on 30 April 2007, 1783 (2007) on 31 October 2007, 1813 (2008) on 30 April 2008, 1871 (2009) on 30 April 2009, 1920 (2010) on 30 April 2010, 1979 (2011) on 27 April 2011, 2044 (2012) on 24 April 2012, 2099 (2013) on 25 April 2013, 2152 (2014) on 29 April 2014, 2218 (2015) on 28 April 2015, 2285 (2016) on 29 April 2016, 2351 (2017) on 28 April 2017, 2414 (2018) on 27 April 2018, 2440 (2018) on 31 October 2018 and 2468 (2019) on 30 April 2019,
Expressing its satisfaction that the parties met on 18 and 19 June 2007, on 10 and 11 August 2007, from 7 to 9 January 2008 and from 16 to 18 March 2008 under the auspices of the Personal Envoy of the Secretary-General for Western Sahara and in the presence of the neighbouring countries and that they have agreed to continue the negotiations,
Also expressing its satisfaction at the holding of nine informal meetings convened by the Personal Envoy of the Secretary-General on 9 and 10 August 2009 in Dürnstein, Austria, on 10 and 11 February 2010 in Westchester County, New York, United States of America, from 7 to 10 November 2010, from 16 to 18 December 2010 and from 21 to 23 January 2011, all on Long Island, New York, from 7 to 9 March 2011 in Mellieha, Malta, from 5 to 7 June 2011 and from 19 to 21 July 2011, both on Long Island, and from 11 to 13 March 2012 in Manhasset, New York, to prepare for the fifth round of negotiations,
Calling upon all the parties and the States of the region to cooperate fully with the Secretary-General and his Personal Envoy and with each other,
Reaffirming the responsibility of the United Nations towards the people of Western Sahara,
Welcoming, in this regard, the efforts of the Secretary-General and his Personal Envoy in search of a mutually acceptable political solution to the dispute, which will provide for the self-determination of the people of Western Sahara,
Having examined the relevant chapter of the report of the Special Committee on the Situation with regard to the Implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples for 2019,[1]
Having also examined the report of the Secretary-General,[2]
1. Takes note of the report of the Secretary-General;2
2. Supports the process of negotiations initiated by Security Council resolution 1754 (2007) and further sustained by Council resolutions 1783 (2007), 1813 (2008), 1871 (2009), 1920 (2010), 1979 (2011), 2044 (2012), 2099 (2013), 2152 (2014), 2218 (2015), 2285 (2016), 2351 (2017), 2414 (2018), 2440 (2018) and 2468 (2019), with a view to achieving a just, lasting and mutually acceptable political solution, which will provide for the self-determination of the people of Western Sahara, and commends the efforts undertaken by the Secretary-General and his Personal Envoy for Western Sahara in this respect;
3. Welcomes the commitment of the parties to continue to show political will and work in an atmosphere propitious for dialogue, in order to enter into a more intensive phase of negotiations, in good faith and without preconditions, noting efforts and developments since 2006, thus ensuring the implementation of Security Council resolutions 1754 (2007), 1783 (2007), 1813 (2008), 1871 (2009), 1920 (2010), 1979 (2011), 2044 (2012), 2099 (2013), 2152 (2014), 2218 (2015), 2285 (2016), 2351 (2017), 2414 (2018), 2440 (2018) and 2468 (2019) and the success of negotiations;
4. Also welcomes the ongoing negotiations between the parties held on 18 and 19 June 2007, on 10 and 11 August 2007, from 7 to 9 January 2008 and from 16 to 18 March 2008 in the presence of the neighbouring countries and under the auspices of the United Nations;
5. Calls upon the parties to cooperate with the International Committee of the Red Cross, and calls upon them to abide by their obligations under international humanitarian law;
6. Requests the Special Committee on the Situation with regard to the Implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples to continue to consider the situation in Western Sahara and to report thereon to the General Assembly at its seventy-fifth session;
7. Invites the Secretary-General to submit to the General Assembly at its seventy-fifth session a report on the implementation of the present resolution.
[1] Official Records of the General Assembly, Seventy-fourth Session, Supplement No. 23 (A/74/23), chap. VIII.
[2] A/74/341.