Algerian Minister of State, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Ahmed Attaf, delivered a speech at the 81st UN General Assembly, emphasizing Africa's commitment to building partnerships based on solidarity, development, and peace. Attaf highlighted Algeria's unwavering support for just causes of African peoples and its contribution to efforts promoting stability, development, and integration on the continent. Algeria's foreign policy is guided by its African identity and a culture of peace and dialogue.
Attaf reiterated Algeria's principled stance on the Western Sahara issue, affirming the country's support for the Sahrawi people's right to self-determination. This stance is rooted in Algeria's firm conviction that decolonization issues cannot be resolved through coercion or fait accompli, but rather through enabling peoples to exercise their internationally recognized rights. Algeria's position on Western Sahara is based on the principles of international legitimacy and the Sahrawi people's inalienable right to self-determination.
The Algerian minister welcomed the organization of direct negotiations between the parties to the conflict, Morocco and the Polisario Front, earlier this year under the auspices of the United Nations and with the assistance of the United States. Attaf reviewed Algeria's vision for a lasting and just solution to the Western Sahara issue, stressing that the success of the negotiation process requires the genuine engagement of both parties in good faith, with a sincere will to reach a mutually acceptable, fair, and durable political solution.
Attaf emphasized that any meaningful negotiation process can only be based on the relevant UN framework and respect for the UN's founding principles, particularly the right to self-determination. Algeria warns that any attempt to circumvent this framework or marginalize the legitimate representatives of the Sahrawi people, the Polisario Front, will not contribute to a resolution of the conflict and will only exacerbate tensions in a region that urgently needs peace, stability, and cooperation.
Algeria has hosted Sahrawi refugees on its territory for over half a century, following Morocco's occupation of Western Sahara. Attaf stressed that the issue cannot be reduced to a simple refugee problem, but rather requires a comprehensive approach to complete the decolonization process in Western Sahara through a political process that enables the Sahrawi people to exercise their right to self-determination. This process must be based on the principles of international law and the UN Charter.
The Algerian minister recalled that the right to self-determination remains a cornerstone of international law, and that the passage of time cannot transform an imposed reality into a legal fact or diminish the Sahrawi people's inalienable right to self-determination. Attaf emphasized that true peace can only be built on respect for the rights of all parties and that any solution must respond to the aspirations of the Sahrawi people.
In conclusion, Algeria reaffirms its unwavering support for the Sahrawi people's right to self-determination and its commitment to contributing to a just and lasting solution to the Western Sahara conflict. The international community must work towards a peaceful resolution that respects the rights and aspirations of the Sahrawi people, based on the principles of international law and the UN Charter.
Key points
- Algeria reaffirms its support for Western Sahara's self-determination at the 81st UN General Assembly.
- The Sahrawi people's right to self-determination is a cornerstone of international law.
- Algeria warns against attempts to circumvent the UN framework or marginalize the Polisario Front.
