New York (UN) 19 October 2019 (SPS) - The 74th Session of the Special Political and Decolonization Committee (Fourth Committee) adopted a resolution Wednesday evening reaffirming the right of Sahrawi people to self-determination and independence, in accordance with the principles set out in the United Nations charter and UN General Assembly Resolution 1514 on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples.
Adopted unanimously on Wednesday by 193 countries, the resolution reaffirmed the inalienable right of all peoples to self-determination and independence, in accordance with the principles set out in the Charter of the United Nations and United Nations General Assembly resolution 1514 (XV) of December 1960 containing the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples.
The Fourth Committee of the United Nations recalled that "all options available for self-determination of the Territories are valid as long as they are in accordance with the freely expressed wishes of the peoples concerned and in accordance with the principles clearly defined in General Assembly resolutions 1514 (XV) and 1541 (XV) of 15 December 1960."
In this regard, the committee expressed its satisfaction that the parties in conflict 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.
It further expressed 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.
The UN's Fourth Committee welcomed, 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. (SPS)
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