Lisbon – Participants in the 48th Conference of the European Coordinating Committee for Solidarity with the Sahrawi People (EUCOCO) held in Lisbon have affirmed that the international community bears full responsibility for achieving a comprehensive resolution to the Western Sahara conflict. They reiterated their unwavering support for the Sahrawi people’s right to self-determination and independence.
During the first day of the conference, hosted at Lisbon University, which was attended by hundreds of supporters from Africa, Europe, and Latin America, South Africa’s Ambassador to Portugal, Maria Flor Pedroso, reaffirmed her country’s commitment to the justice of the Western Sahara cause. She emphasized that this solidarity and empathy with the Sahrawi people stem from the years of suffering endured by her own country under apartheid. “This history drives us to fully understand the struggles of the Sahrawi people and their fight for freedom and independence,” she stated.
Pedroso also made it clear that South Africa would not remain silent and would raise its voice worldwide to defend the rights of oppressed peoples. She highlighted her country’s previous support for the Palestinian cause, including a formal petition to the International Court of Justice in December 2023 accusing the Israeli occupation of committing genocide in Gaza.
Meanwhile, Cuba’s Ambassador to Portugal, José Ramón Saborido, spoke of Cuba’s long-standing solidarity with the Sahrawi people. He emphasized the close cooperation between the two nations in political, media, and educational fields, showcasing Cuba’s steadfast commitment to the Sahrawi cause.
Algeria’s Ambassador to Portugal, Said Moussa, reiterated Algeria’s unwavering stance on global justice issues, drawing on the principles of the Algerian War of Liberation, which, as he said, were passed down by the country’s martyrs. He condemned Western attempts to impose “solutions” to the Western Sahara dispute, despite the clear positions of international law on the matter.
Zimbabwe was represented at the event by Senator Sennita Jaikotora, who spoke extensively about his country’s struggle against colonialism. He emphasized that “freedom is not easily won; it requires strength, patience, and many sacrifices.” He reaffirmed Zimbabwe’s solidarity with the Sahrawi people and called for the return of Sahrawi sovereignty over its natural resources, urging that the exploitation of these resources by the Moroccan occupation be halted.
Timor-Leste’s Prime Minister, Xanana Gusmão, who was unable to attend in person, sent a video message reaffirming his country’s support for the Sahrawi people’s just struggle for freedom and independence. He stressed the importance of resolving the Western Sahara issue through the implementation of United Nations resolutions, which call for a referendum on self-determination, similar to the one that led to Timor-Leste’s independence.
The conference also featured interventions from European civil society groups, which expressed their full solidarity with the Sahrawi cause and called on the international community to uphold the recent rulings by the International Court of Justice. These rulings demand the protection of Sahrawi sovereignty and the end of Moroccan exploitation of the region’s resources.
The conference mourned the passing of the lawyer of the Polisario Front and human rights defender, Gilles Devers, who recently died after a long illness. Devers had dedicated his life to advocating for just causes worldwide, particularly the Palestinian and Western Sahara issues.
The conference continues on Saturday afternoon with discussions on four key topics: “Political Work and Communication,” “Building the Sahrawi State,” “Human Rights Violations in Occupied Western Sahara,” and “The Situation of Sahrawi Political Prisoners and the Pillaging of Natural Resources.” Participants will also approve the results of the four workshops, which will form the foundation for the various solidarity committees’ activities.
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Author: nor-eleslam
Western Sahara, EUCOCO, international solidarity, self-determination, Algerian support, Sahrawi people’s rights
