Algiers, 28 July 2026 (SPS) – The Sahrawi Ambassador to Algeria, Khatri Addouh, has reaffirmed that the question of Western Sahara remains a decolonisation issue on the agenda of the United Nations, warning that attempts to alter its legal and political nature or to impose approaches that bypass the Sahrawi people's right to self-determination pose a serious threat to the foundations of international legitimacy.
He made these remarks on Tuesday during the second and final day of a scientific symposium organised by the Algerian National Institute for Comprehensive Strategic Studies, in partnership with the Sahrawi Centre for Strategic Studies, at the Institute's headquarters in Algiers, under the theme: "The Question of Western Sahara: Historical Roots, Current Situation, and Prospects in Light of International Developments."
The Sahrawi ambassador reviewed the latest developments in the UN-led political process, highlighting the provisions of UN Security Council Resolution 2797 (2025), which he said reflects the continued commitment to a consensus-based approach to resolving the conflict despite efforts to influence the settlement process.
He pointed out that, notwithstanding the reservations expressed regarding the resolution, it did not grant Morocco any recognition of sovereignty over Western Sahara, nor did it adopt the Moroccan autonomy proposal as the sole basis for a solution. Instead, he said, it left the door open to various ideas and proposals capable of achieving a just political solution that guarantees the Sahrawi people's right to self-determination, while renewing the mandate of the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) without any change to its mandate.
Ambassador Khatri Addouh also referred to the expanded proposal submitted by the Polisario Front to the UN Secretary-General in October 2025, describing it as an initiative that demonstrates the Sahrawi side's genuine commitment to reaching a just, peaceful, and lasting solution based on the organisation of a free and fair self-determination referendum. He noted that the proposal also expressed the Polisario Front's readiness to negotiate strategic relations and mutual guarantees with the Kingdom of Morocco in the post-referendum period, should the Sahrawi people choose independence.
Speaking about recent international diplomatic efforts, he referred to the informal ministerial meetings held with the participation of the United Nations, the United States, and the two parties to the conflict. He stated that the Polisario Front had participated in these meetings in good faith while maintaining that no solution can acquire legitimacy unless it guarantees the Sahrawi people's exercise of their inalienable right to self-determination and is subsequently approved by the Sahrawi people themselves through a free and democratic process.
In conclusion, Ambassador Khatri Addouh stressed that any attempt to redefine the Western Sahara question as merely a dispute over power-sharing, rather than as a decolonisation issue, constitutes a serious violation of the principles of international law. He called on the international community to support the United Nations' efforts to enable the Sahrawi people to exercise their right to self-determination and independence, describing this as the only path towards achieving a just and lasting peace in the region.
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