At UN Fourth Committee: Uganda, Venezuela and Nigeria demands speed decolonization measures in Western Sahara

United Nations (New York) - MAP - Uganda, Venezuela and Nigeria have asked the United Nations to assume its full responsibility to complete the decolonization process in Western Sahara ans expressed their support to the right of Western Sahara people to self-determination and independence, speaking to the UN Special Committee in charge of special political issues and decolonization.

Deputy Permanent Representative of Uganda to the UN, Ambassador Aonia Ayebe, underlined that “for almost four decades, the people of Western Sahara have placed their faith in the United Nations to enable them exercise their inalienable right to self-determination in accordance with the Charter and relevant United nations resolutions. It is time the United nations assumed its full responsibility to complete the decolonization process in Western Sahara.”

“Uganda is convinced that only the Sahrawi people can and should decide their own future and destiny, without conditions of any kind,” added the Deputy Permanent Representative of Uganda.

He commended the efforts of the Secretary General’s Personal Envoy aimed at finding a lasting solution to the problem, regretting in spite of these efforts that the people of the Western Sahara have not yet had the opportunity of a free choice.

Deputy Permanent Representative of Uganda called on Morocco and Polisario to engage constructively in order to overcome the obstacles and reach a durable solution, welcoming the rounds of informal negotiations held so far and urging the parties to intensify their efforts to reach a lasting solution.

He expressed concerns about reports of violations of human rights in Western Sahara, reiterating call for concrete steps to be taken for monitoring and protection of human rights and about reports of the illegal exploitation of the resources of Stern Sahara.

Moreover, Ambassador of Venezuela to the United Nations, Mr. Jorge Valero, asserted that “the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela whishes to express its solidarity and firm commitment to the self-determination and independence of Western Sahara. We want to emphasize, in this regard, that our country recognizes, diplomatically, the Saharawi Arab Democratic Republic.”

The Ambassador of Venezuela stressed the importance of holding a referendum to take into account the self-determination and respect the will of the Saharawi people, reiterating hope for, with the support of the United nations, enabling the Sahrawi people to exercise their inalienable right to self-determination, in the context of a fair final settlement of the conflict.

For his part, the Permanent REpresentative of Nigeria to the UN, Mr. Augustine Ugochukwu Nwosa, called on the United Nations “to set in motion the machinery for the independence of Saharawi Arab Democratic Republic without further delay under the auspices and supervision of the United Nations.”

In this regard, he asserted Nigeria’s recognition and support to the Sahrawi Republic and people to self-determination and independence.