New York (United Nations), October 15, 2015 (SPS) – the representative of Zimbabwe, Mr. Frederick Shava called in the general debate of the Special Political and Decolonization, on Wednesday the United Nations to not shake off its responsibility to ensure self-determination for the peoples of the remaining Non-Self-Governing Territories, especially Western Sahara.
Frederick Shava underlined that the General Assembly had consistently recognized the inalienable rights of the Saharan people to self-determination and independence, calling for the exercise of that right.
He also added that the African Union in its twenty-fifth session, held in Johannesburg, South Africa, , recalling the advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice on Western Sahara, urging the General Assembly to determine a date for the holding of a referendum on self-determination. It had also asked the Security Council to address the issues regarding respect for human rights, as well as the illegal exploitation of the Territory’s natural resources.
Zimbabwean representative stated that Zimbabwe support the effort to provide the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) with a human rights mandate, adding that the Mission’s initial mandate had been extended several times by the Security Council, which demonstrated that organ’s resolve to hold a referendum in Western Sahara and grant the Saharan people their long-overdue right to self-determination.(SPS)
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