Opposing Members Voice Concerns about Wording, Transparency in ConsultationsThe Security Council, last April 29th, extended until 30 April 2017 the mandate of the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO), reaffirming its commitment to help the parties achieve a just, lasting and mutually acceptable political solution that would provide for self-determination.

Adopting resolution 2285 (2016) by 10 votes in favour to 2 against (Uruguay, Venezuela), with 3 abstentions (Angola, New Zealand, Russian Federation), the Council emphasized the urgent need to return the Mission to full functionality.

Reaffirming the need for full respect for the military agreements reached with MINURSO regarding the ceasefire, the Council called upon all parties to cooperate fully with the Mission’s operations and to ensure the security of United Nations and associated personnel.

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Origen: Security Council Extends Mandate of United Nations Mission for Referendum in Western Sahara by 10 Votes in Favour, 2 against, with 2 Abstentions | SADR Permanent Mission in Ethiopia and African Union

Within the framework of his mandate, the AU Special Envoy for Western Sahara, H.E. former President Joaquim Chissano, undertook a mission to the UN Secretariat in New York, from 26 to 29 April 2016. The mission was in implementation of the AU Organ’s decisions on the situation in Western Sahara, notably the decision adopted at the 588th meeting of the AU Peace and Security Council (PSC), held on 6 April 2016, at which, Council requested the Chairperson of the Commission to pursue and intensify her efforts, including through her Special Envoy, towards effective follow-up of the relevant provisions of its decisions.

During his mission, the AU Special Envoy held consultations with the UN high level officials, Ambassador Christopher Ross, UN Secretary-General’s Personal Envoy for Western Sahara; Mr. Tayé-Brook Zerihoun, Assistant Secretary-General for Political Affairs; Mr. Edmond Mulet, Chef de Cabinet to the UN Secretary-General. The AU Special Envoy’s delegation also met with various representatives of the Permanent Missions to the UN namely, Ambassador Liu Jieyi of China, President of the UN Security Council for the month of April; Ambassador Rafael Dario Ramirez Carreno, Permanent Representative of Venezuela; Ambassador Vitaly I. Churkin, Permanent Representative of Russian Federation to the UN; the Delegation of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR); Ambassador Gerard Jacobus Van Bohemen, Permanent Representative of New Zealand; Ambassador Michele Sison, U.S. Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN; Ambassador Sabri Boukadoum, Permanent Representative of Algeria to the UN; Ambassador Elbio Rosselli, Permanent Representative of Uruguay to the UN; Ambassador François Delattre, Permanent Representative of France to the UN; Ambassador Román Oyarzun Marchesi, Permanent Representative of Spain to the UN. The AU Special Envoy delegation also held in-depth consultations with the Permanent Representative of Angola, Ambassador Ismael A. Gaspar Martins, in its capacity as the member of A3.

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Origen: AU Special Envoy for Western Sahara Concludes his Mission to the UN Secretariat and Briefs the UN Security Council on Western Sahara | SADR Permanent Mission in Ethiopia and African Union

By: Emhamed Khadad, POLISARIO Coordinator with the MINURSO.

Last month, in a remarkable challenge to the authority of the UN Security Council, the Kingdom of Morocco ordered the expulsion of most of the civilian personnel in the UN peacekeeping mission in Western Sahara. This unilateral decision to effectively dismantle the UN Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) has triggered a crisis at the UN and further endangered the Saharawi people. It has also struck a blow to the cause of peace and security in the region.

While Morocco has made no secret of the fact that it would happily do away with MINURSO, the real shock has been the UN Security Council’s troublingly muted reaction. Western Sahara is classified by the UN as a Non-Self-Governing territory, awaiting a process of decolonization. The Security Council created MINURSO with a clear mandate: to organize and supervise a referendum on self-determination in which the people of Western Sahara would choose between independence and integration with Morocco.

Although Morocco agreed to these terms as part of the ceasefire, it has since renounced the very idea of a referendum. MINURSO has failed to deliver on its basic political premise for 25 years, but under the current conditions it won’t even be able to fulfil basic functions of monitoring the ceasefire between Morocco and the Frente POLISARIO – the internationally recognized political representatives of the people of Western Sahara – for much longer.

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Origen: UN Security Council Must Live Up to its Responsibilities in Western Sahara | SADR Permanent Mission in Ethiopia and African Union

Bir Lehlu(Territorios Liberados),04/05/16(SPS)-. El Presidente de la República  y SG del Frente POLISARIO, Mohamed Abdelaziz ha elogiado la posición de principios de Argelia de apoyo al pueblo saharaui  y su justa causa.

Origen: El Presidente de la República elogia la firme posición de principios de Argelia de apoyo a la causa saharaui

Bir Lahlou (liberated territories) May 03, 2016 (SPS) – Sahrawi Human Rights Commission (CONASADH) has expressed deep concern over the deteriorating health of the Sahrawi human rights activist and political prisoner, Abdulkhalek Markhi, who is on an unlimited hunger strike since 1 April in the prison of Tiznit, in Morocco.

Origen: CONASADH concerned about deteriorating health of Sahrawi prisoner in Morocco

Madrid, 03 mai 2016 (SPS)  Le Secrétariat international du parti espagnol ‘Podemos’ a regretté mardi que le gouvernement central ‘a manqué durant son mandat de membre non permanent  au Conseil de sécurité de donner une impulsion décisive au conflit du Sahara occidental et dont l’Espagne a une responsabilité historique indén

Origen: Un part espagnol regrette que le gouvernement n’a pas usé de sa présence au Conseil de sécurité en faveur de la solution du conflit au Sahara occidental

Chahid El Hafed,03/05/16(SPS)-. Llegó este martes a los Campamentos de Refugiados Saharauis la caravana solidaria argelina con  ayuda humanitaria. La caravana organizada  por la Unión General de Trabajadores de Argelia  es una expresión de la solidaridad argelina con el pueblo saharaui.

Origen: Llega la caravana solidaria argelina a los campamentos de refugiados saharauis

La ONU pide la restauración de la misión en el Sáhara Occidental

Origen: La ONU pide la restauración de la misión en el Sáhara Occidental

Nations unies, 02 mai 2016 (SPS) Le Bureau du Porte-parole a démenti  l’information selon laquelle, au cours de ce week-end, «un garde de sécurité de l’ONU aurait sorti le représentant du Front Polisario à New York, M. Boukhari Ahmed, du bâtiment de l’Organisation».

M . Boukhari représente l’une des parties au conflit au Sahara occidental et aux négociations menées par l’ONU pour le parachèvement de la décolonisation de la dernière colonie en Afrique, a souligné la même source.

M. Boukhari est chargé de l’interaction du Front Polisario avec les plus hauts responsables du Secrétariat. Il a un badge qui «lui permet d’entrer dans les locaux de l’ONU quand bon lui semble», a estimé la même source. (SPS)

Origen: L’ONU dément l’expulsion du représentant du Front Polisario du bâtiment de l’organisation internationale

Londres, 03 mai 2016 (SPS) Londres s’est félicité de l’adoption, vendredi dernier, de la résolution 2285 par le Conseil de sécurité de l’ONU, et a appelé à une solution politique ‘durable et mutuellement acceptable’ pour le Sahara occidental, qui prévoit l’autodétermination du peuple sahraoui.

Origen: Sahara occidental: Londres appelle à une solution politique qui prévoit l’autodétermination

Paris, 03 mai 2016 (SPS) Le député du Val-de-Marne (Ile-de-France), Jean-Luc Laurent, a estimé que la France doit faire ‘preuve de fermeté’ vis-à-vis du Maroc pour que ce dernier respecte ses engagements dans le processus de décolonisation du Sahara occidental.

Origen: Un député au MAE français: la France doit faire ‘preuve de fermeté’ vis-à-vis du Maroc

London (United Kingdom), May 03, 2016 (SPS) – London welcomed the adoption, on Friday, of UN Security Council Resolution 2285, calling for ‘lasting and mutually acceptable’ political solution for Western Sahara, and which provides for the self-determination of Saharawi people. SPS 125/090/700

Origen: Western Sahara: London calls for political solution providing for self-determination

El Consejo de Seguridad de las Naciones Unidas, decidió prorrogar por un año más la Misión de las Naciones Unidas para el Referéndum en el Sáhara Occidental  – MINURSO –  en medio de la crisis más severa que enfrenta el proceso de autodeterminación del pueblo saharaui, tras la decisión de Marruecos – como potencia ocupante – de expulsar  a 73 miembros del componente civil de la MINURSO el pasado mes marzo.

El 29 de abril del 2016, los 15 miembros del Consejo de Seguridad de Naciones Unidas votaron la Resolución N° 2285 sobre la continuidad de la MINURSO por un año más. Por diez votos a favor, entre ellos el de España y Francia; tres abstenciones, las de Rusia, Angola y Nueva Zelanda; y dos votos en contra, los de Venezuela y Uruguay – que no tienen capacidad de veto – la resolución sostiene, igualmente, la “necesidad urgente” que la hasta ahora ineficiente misión multinacional recupere su plena operatividad y que en el plazo de 3 meses, el Secretario General de la ONU informe al Consejo de Seguridad sobre la evolución de la situación.

Una Resolución Estéril

Tal como ha sido una constante desde el año 1991 a la fecha, esta Resolución no facultó a la MINURSO para tener competencias en materias de vigilancia en la defensa de los deechos humanos y menos aún mencionó medidas de sanción contra las maniobras dilatorias para concretar el referéndum de autodeterminación del pueblo saharaui. Sólo Venezuela y Uruguay – que reconocen a la República Árabe Saharaui Democrática RASD –  mostraron algo de dignidad al negarse aprobar este documento, que mantiene el status quo con clara ventaja para las posiciones del gobierno marroquí.

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El texto continúa en: Saharauis; La traición continúa – HispanTV, Nexo Latino