Shahid Al-Hafed (refugee camps)- Sahrawi Minister of Cooperation Boulahi Sid on Friday called on the international community to continue their solidarity with the Sahrawi people in their legitimate struggle and to exert pressure on the Moroccan colonizer, which continues its headlong policy.
"An unprecedented solidarity campaign has been launched on the international scene by European political parties and MPs, who expressed their support to the Sahrawi people in their legitimate struggle for their independence," Boulahi told APS on the eve of the visit of the United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon to the Sahrawi refugee camps.
The support has been expressed, added the Sahrawi minister, "through statements, actions and calls to end the long-lasting colonization," citing the petition launched recently worldwide by the Swiss Committee of Support to the Sahrawi People, and in which it (the Committee) calls for the holding of a referendum on the self-determination of Sahrawi people before the end of current year.
He also called on the international community to exert pressure on Morocco, which is impeding all UN efforts for the resolution of the Western Sahara conflict by continuing its "headlong policy," adding that "the Sahrawi side is committed to fully cooperating with the UN."
As regard the UN chief's visit to the Sahrawi refugee camps, scheduled for Saturday, Boulahi dubbed it "very important for Sahrawi people."
This visit comes in the wake of the celebration of the 40th anniversary of the proclamation of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR), marked last week, as well as ahead of the Security Council's meeting on the Western Sahara conflict," he explained.
"The Sahrawi people hope that the visit would be a turning point and that Ban Ki-moon would contribute before leaving the UN to the achievement of the process of the decolonization of the last colony in Africa," said Boulahi.
"The Sahrawi people are expecting a just and lasting solution that provides for the holding of a referendum on their self-determination," he added.
"They (the Sahrawi people) aspire for a new era after the visit," said Boulahi, adding that the UN chief's visit to the liberated territories of Bir Lehlou is a recognition by the UN of the Sahrawi people's struggle for their independence and that their legitimate representative is the Polisario Front."
"The visit is a clear message to the Moroccan colonizer so that it ceases its obstacles to the efforts for the resolution of the conflict," said the Sahrawi minister, calling on the UN to "recognize the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR)."
As regards cooperation, Boulahi said that "RASD has achieved significant progress and is ready to manage the new post-independence stage," adding that "the Sahrawi Republic has showed its capacity in managing the State's affairs in various sectors and areas."
"The presence of RASD on the international scene and its good relations with many countries encourage us to continue our struggle," said the Sahrawi minister.
In this regard, he underlined that "the African Union and African countries, especially Algeria, remain our key partners through their unwavering support to our just and legitimate cause."
"We have diplomatic representations of RASD across Europe and in other regions around the world," he said, adding that "the Sahrawi Republic, which is committed to peace and security, remain an element of stability in the region." (SPS)
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