New York, 4 October 2026 (SPS) — The Sahrawi cause received broad support within the Fourth Committee of the United Nations General Assembly (Special Political and Decolonization), during the debate on the eradication of colonialism and the implementation of Resolution 1514 (XV).
Several Member States reiterated the responsibility of the United Nations to guarantee the inalienable right of the people of Western Sahara to self-determination, during a session that began on 1 October at the UN headquarters.
Several petitioners agreed that Western Sahara remains Africa’s last colony and called for strict respect for international law, Security Council resolutions and African Union decisions, in order to achieve a just, lasting and mutually acceptable solution.
Namibia’s representative stressed that the responsibility of the United Nations entails making progress towards a definitive solution based on the Constitutive Act of the African Union.
Namibia supported the mandate of the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) and the holding of the UN-backed popular consultation, urging the full implementation of the agreements between the Polisario Front and the Kingdom of Morocco.
For its part, South Africa expressed deep concern over the situation of the Sahrawi population and stressed that self-determination must not be subordinated to political interests, but must be based on international legality.
In the same vein, Cuba expressed its solidarity with the peoples of Western Sahara, Palestine and Puerto Rico, regretting that the Sahrawi territory continues to be subjected to colonial rule on a continent historically known for its liberation struggles.
Zimbabwe reaffirmed the right of the Sahrawi people to freely exercise their right to self-determination, reiterating its unconditional support for the Sahrawi people in accordance with the decisions of the multilateral forum and the African regional bloc.
Meanwhile, Mexico renewed its support for the principle of self-determination in accordance with General Assembly and Security Council resolutions, expressing its support for the efforts of the Secretary-General’s Personal Envoy and welcoming MINURSO’s contribution to regional stability.
Similarly, Angola recalled the case of Western Sahara as the only territory remaining on the UN list of territories pending decolonization, stressing that its final settlement must guarantee self-determination through dialogue and the role of regional actors.
Finally, the Russian delegation reaffirmed the collective responsibility of Member States towards peoples struggling to exercise their inalienable rights under the UN Charter and Resolution 1514 (XV).
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