The UN Security Council has approved the extension of the mandate of the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINUSRO) until 31 October 2023.
In its resolution, the body reaffirms its commitment to help the two parties involved in the matter – the Polisario Front and the Moroccan authorities – to reach a just and lasting solution, the Polisario Front said in a statement.
The Security Council has also valued the work of MINUSRO on the ground and stressed the need for the full implementation of the mandate of the mission, which, however, will not benefit from practical measures to ensure the full implementation of its mandate.
This last aspect was strongly criticized by the Polisario Front, which sees a «failure» in not providing MINUSRO with such mechanisms. It also denounced the «inaction» of the Security Council in the face of «aggressive and persistent attempts» by Morocco to «obstruct and undermine» the mandate of the UN mission.
«The Polisario Front categorically rejects the inaction of the Security Council, in particular some of its influential members, and its deplorable silence and unjustifiable reluctance to hold the occupying State of Morocco responsible for its continued illegal occupation of parts of our country», added the Saharawi body.
Thus, the Polisario criticized the Security Council for «opting for a destructive ambiguity» instead of adopting «a balanced, unequivocal and coherent approach» in order to promote a process of «peace and realities on the ground».
The Saharawi formation therefore considers that the UN, in part, «deepens the prevailing stalemate» in such a way as to undermine the mission of the UN Personal Envoy, aggravate the operational environment of MINUSRO and deepen an already «tense» situation.
«The Polisario Front reaffirms that the Settlement Plan of the UN and the Organization of African Unity remains the only mutual agreement accepted by the two parties (…) and unanimously approved by the Security Council», said the Polisario, recalling the two resolutions of the UN body instructing MINUSRO.
«The (Security) Council established, under its authority, the MINUSRO to hold a free, fair and unrestricted or administrative referendum to allow the people of Western Sahara to exercise their inalienable right to self-determination and independence», added the formation.
In this context, the Polisario Front reaffirmed its refusal to participate in any peace process based on any approach that deviates from the Settlement Plan, which is the «raison d’être of MINUSRO and the basis of its mandate».
«No one should be under any illusion that a genuine, credible and viable peace process could begin and move forward in Western Sahara without putting an end to the impunity with which the occupying State of Morocco has been allowed to undermine the Settlement Plan,» Polisario has pointed out.
Finally, the Saharawi formation pointed out that the population of the region «will continue to use all legitimate means, including armed struggle, to defend its inalienable and non-negotiable right to self-determination and independence and restore sovereignty over the entire territory of the Saharawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR)».
