New York (United Nations), October 14, 2025 (SPS) – During the discussions of the United Nations General Assembly’s Special Political and Decolonization Committee (Fourth Committee), Zimbabwe reaffirmed its unwavering position in support of the decolonization of Western Sahara and the Sahrawi people’s right to determine their own future through a free and fair referendum.
The Zimbabwean representative recalled that the question of Western Sahara, which has been on the Fourth Committee’s agenda since 1963, starkly illustrates the challenges that continue to hinder the completion of decolonization. She emphasized that the prolonged delay in holding the referendum envisaged in the UN Settlement Plan has perpetuated the situation and deprived the Sahrawi people of their right to decide their own future. She stressed that the Settlement Plan — endorsed by both the United Nations and the African Union — remains the most credible pathway to achieving peace and stability in the region.
The representative urged the international community to maintain its consistent position that Western Sahara remains a Non-Self-Governing Territory, and to ensure that the Sahrawi people are allowed to exercise their right to self-determination through a free and fair referendum, in accordance with the UN Settlement Plan and relevant resolutions. She also called on all parties to enable the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) to fully carry out its mandate without obstacles or undue interference.
She praised the efforts of the UN Secretary-General’s Personal Envoy, Mr. Staffan de Mistura, and the continued commitment of MINURSO, expressing her country’s hope that the current Fourth International Decade for the Eradication of Colonialism will finally witness the resolution of the question of Western Sahara and all remaining decolonization issues. Zimbabwe also endorsed the Security Council’s call to resume the political process leading to a just, lasting, and mutually acceptable solution that ensures the Sahrawi people’s right to self-determination.
In conclusion, the Zimbabwean representative reaffirmed her country’s steadfast support for the valuable work carried out by the Fourth Committee in promoting the fundamental principles of sovereignty and self-determination enshrined in the UN Charter, and expressed Zimbabwe’s firm solidarity with the people of Western Sahara in their legitimate struggle for self-determination.
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