Namibia Reaffirms Support for Sahrawi Self-Determination
Namibia has reiterated its consistent support for the Sahrawi people's right to self-determination and independence. This reaffirmation came from Namibian Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Selma Ashipala-Musavyi, during her address at a ministerial meeting of the joint bilateral commission between Namibia and Angola. Held in the Angolan capital, Luanda, Minister Ashipala-Musavyi expressed Namibia's solidarity with the "just cause" of the Western Sahara people, framing her remarks within a discussion on conflicts, geopolitical tensions, and their impacts on peace, development, and economic challenges, particularly for smaller economies. She called for ongoing efforts to resolve African conflicts, aligning with the African Union's Agenda 2063 for a peaceful, prosperous, and integrated continent.
This statement continues Namibia's principled stance in international and regional forums, consistent with decolonization principles and the right to self-determination. The Namibian President, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, previously renewed her country's support for the Sahrawi people's right to self-determination during a high-level general debate of the United Nations General Assembly. On that occasion, President Nandi-Ndaitwah underscored the United Nations' responsibility to find a just and lasting solution to the Western Sahara question, in accordance with the UN Charter and relevant resolutions. She also reiterated support for the mandate of the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) and for holding a referendum to allow the Sahrawi people to exercise their right to self-determination and independence.
Namibia has consistently reaffirmed this position in bilateral engagements, including during a meeting between President Nandi-Ndaitwah and Sahrawi Minister of Foreign Affairs and African Affairs, Mohamed Yes lem Beissat, in Windhoek last June. At that time, President Nandi-Ndaitwah reaffirmed her country's unwavering support for the Sahrawi people's right to freedom and self-determination, with both parties emphasizing the deep historical bonds of friendship and solidarity between the Sahrawi Republic and Namibia. Namibia's position is rooted in its own historical experience in the struggle for liberation and independence, alongside its commitment to international law, the UN Charter, and the African Union Constitutive Act, particularly regarding the rejection of colonialism and respect for the right of peoples to self-determination.
