Chahid El Hafed (Saharawi Refugee camps) 28 November 2019 (SPS) - Sahrawi Veteran diplomat, Bachir Radhi, Ambassador of the Sahrawi Republic to South Africa, passed away on Wednesday at 14:25 after a short period of illness, according to a source from his family.
The late diplomat held several important positions in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, where he was one of the first Sahrawi young freedom-fighters who worked closely with Martyr El Ouali Mustapha Said, the founder of Polisario Front, since the early 1970s in secret political missions in Algeria and abroad.
He was thereafter assigned to several tasks in the External relations of the Polisario Front and Saharawi Republic, including as representative of Polisario in France and New York.
He was also a member of the Saharawi negotiating team since the 1990s and served as a special advisor to the late Sahrawi President, Mohamed Abdel Aziz, before being reappointed to the Foreign Ministry as Secretary General and then as Ambassador of the SADR to South Africa.
The late Bachir was well-known for intellect, sharp abilities of analysis and deep knowledge of the Saharawi issue in addition to his expertise in the positions of the different international actors.
The late Ambassador never stopped struggling for the right of his people to freedom and independence in all the forums where he represented Polisario or the Saharawi Republic, and has always confirmed that the independence of Western Sahara is the only possible issue because that is what the Saharawi people want.
During his tenure in South Africa, the late diplomat worked to animate lectures and meetings to present the Sahrawi vision and situation, and to inform South African political parties and academics on the real backgrounds and geostrategic challenges of the Saharawi cause. (SPS)
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