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Algerian President Abdelmajid Tebboune addressed, once again, the Western Sahara issue during the 75th session of the United Nations General Assembly. Speaking Wednesday, Tebboune denounced the «obstacles» hindering the settlement of the territorial conflict.
«With regard to the question of Western Sahara, we deplore the obstacles to its settlement, including the halt of negotiations between the two parties to the conflict and the procrastination in appointing a new UN envoy for Western Sahara».
It is worth mentioning that in May 2019, the former German President Horst Köhler resigned from his post as personal envoy of the United Nations Secretary General for the Sahara, citing «health problems».
Delivering his address by videoconference, the Algerian president stressed that his country «calls for the implementation of the relevant Security Council resolutions, in particular the organization of the referendum on self-determination in Western Sahara, which has been postponed for more than 29 years».
During his address, Tebboune referred to Algeria as a neutral country, calling for the «relaunching of the negotiation process between the two parties to the conflict and the realization of the aspirations of the peoples of the Arab Maghreb and Africa for development and integration».
The Polisario's allies
Before the 75th ordinary session of the United Nations General Assembly, the Polisario was able to count on its allies who also raised the question of Western Sahara during their addresses.
On Wednesday, the President of the Republic of Namibia, Hage Geingob reiterated the «firm» support of his country for the Polisario. «The 17 interconnected Sustainable Development Goals and their promise to leave no one behind by 2030, ring hollow for the peoples of Palestine and Western Sahara, who still remain under occupation. They are left behind», he said. «We wish to express our continued support for the right to self-determination and freedom of the peoples of Palestine and of Western Sahara», he added.
Meanwhile, the President of Botswana, Mugwitsi Masisi stressed on the need to achieve «decolonization and self-determination to all peoples».
South African president Cyril Ramaphosa repeated, Tuesday, his «call for an end to the illegal occupation of Western Sahara». «As we celebrate the founding of an organisation dedicated to freedom and equality, the people of Palestine and Western Sahara continue to live under occupation», he said.
For the record, South Africa is a non-permanent member of the Security Council, which will address, in the coming days, the Sahara issue before adopting, in October, a new resolution on the dispute.
