July 2016

Shaheed El Hafed, July 31, 2016 (SPS) Polisario Front and Saharawi government strongly denounced the intransigence, policy of headlong rush that characterized the speech of the King of Morocco, holding Morocco responsible for the continuing obstacles to the efforts of the international community to find a just and lasting solution to the conflict in Western Sahara, indicated a statement of the Ministry of information.

New York, July 29, 2016 (SPS) - The noose is tightening around Morocco, whose international isolation is more and more felt, as the African Union (AU) stressed the need for Saharawi people to fully enjoy their legitimate rights and the Security Council has just called for the resumption of negotiations between Rabat and the Polisario Front, to reach an agreement on holding a referendum on Western Sahara people's self-determination.
 

Bir Lehlou, July 29, 2016 (SPS) – The Government of Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR) appealed Thursday to the United Nations, African Union and European Union as well as defenders of justice, freedom and human rights around the world to immediately intervene for the release of Gdeim Izik and all Sahrawi political prisoners languishing at Moroccan prisoners.

London, July 28, 2016 (SPS) - The human rights organization Amnesty International (AI) called, on Wednesday, for a fair civil trial in accordance with international standards for the Sahrawi political prisoners of Gdeim Izik, arbitrarily held by the Moroccan occupation authorities.
After the first unfair trial in 2013, before a military court, the new civil trial is expected to be "fair, in accordance with fair trial standards and based on impartial investigation," said the NOG.

Algiers, July 28, 2016 (SPS) - Saharawi Foreign Minister Mohamed Salem Ould Salek on Wednesday described Morocco's statements about its AU membership to the detriment of Western Sahara as a "tactic doomed to failure."SPS
 
125/090/700

Washington, July 27, 2016 (SPS) -The UN Security Council on Tuesday called for the resumption of talks between the Polisario Front and Morocco, which should lead to the holding of self-determination referendum for the Sahrawi people.
The "members of the Security Council have underlined the importance of relaunching direct talks (between the Polisario Front and Morocco) to reach a political solution guaranteeing self-determination for Western Sahara people," said President of the Security Council Koro Bessho.

Addis Ababa, (Ethiopia) — July 25, 2016 (SPS) - The African Union Commission seeks to clarify that the Kingdom of Morocco did not attend or address the 27th Assembly of Heads of State and Government that was held on 17-18 July 2016, in Kigali, Rwanda.

Washington (United States), July 26, 2016 (SPS) - UN Security Council will meet Tuesday to discuss the return of the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO), which has not yet resumed its work despite the end of the deadline set to restore it to full functionality.
UN Secretary General should inform the Security Council Tuesday on Morocco's implementation of Resolution 2285 (2016), which demands the return of the MINURSO's civilian staff, expelled by Rabat, in three months.  

Algiers, July 25, 2016 (SPS) - Swedish Ambassador to Algeria Mrs. Carin Wall affirmed Sunday the position of Sweden on Western Sahara in support of a solution guaranteeing the right of the Sahrawi people to self-determination in line with the United Nations resolutions, during a reception by Ambassador to Algeria Bushraya Beyoun.

Shaheed El Hafed, July 25, 2016 (SPS) -  President of Republic, Secretary-General of the Polisario Front, Ibrahim Ghali, has received a message of congratulations from Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe, on the occasion his election. 
President Mugabe presented congratulations on behalf of Zimbabwean people and government, affirming that the election of President Ghali was the biggest testament to the government and the people's confidence of his eligibility to lead his nation in the heroic struggle for self-determination.

Smara (Occupied Territories), July 25, 2016 (SPS) - Moroccan forces suppressed Friday a peaceful protest staged by dozens of unemployed Saharawi graduates in the occupied town of Smara, the ministry of Occupied Territories and Saharawi Community Abroad has said.

Shahid El Hafed (refugee camps), July 24, 2016 (SPS) The Permanent Bureau of the National Secretariat of the Polisario Front has welcomed the commitment of the African Union (AU) during the Kigali Summit to the principles and values that reject colonialism in all its forms, according to a statement reached SPS.

Algiers, July 24, 2016 (SPS) - Morocco’s decision to join the African Union (AU) is a "maneuver" to gain time at the international and domestic levels, said Saturday in Algiers, Sahrawi Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mohamed Salem Ould Salek.
Holding a press conference at the Sahrawi Embassy in Algiers, Ould Salek said that Morocco's decision to join the African Union stems from its failures at the international level, notably after accepting the return of the expelled civilian staff of the United Nations Mission for Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO).

Washington (United States), July 23, 2016 (SPS) - Polisario Front called Friday on the United Nations Security Council to take urgent measures to restore MINURSO (UN Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara) to full functionality and to establish a direct, high-level negotiation process between the Polisario and Morocco.

Charlotte Bruneau/ July 21, 2016

Algiers, July 21, 2016 (SPS) -  The Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR) is a founding member of the African Union (AU) and its suspension from the organization cannot be requested, said Thursday in Algiers Prime Minister Abdelmalek Sellal.
In a statement to the press on the sidelines of the closing ceremony of the Parliament's spring session, Sellal said that the request to expel the Sahrawi Republic was "nonsense" because "we must not forget that the SADR is a founding member of the pan-African organization."

Algiers, July 21, 2016 (SPS) - President of the Saharawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR) and Polisario Front Secretary General Brahim Ghali greeted Wednesday, in Algiers, the unfailing support of Algeria to Western Sahara cause, stressing that Saharawi people will continue to fight for an independent State. 

Bir Lahlou (liberated territories),  July 20, 2016 (SPS) - President of the Republic , Secretary General of the Polisario Front, Mr. Brahim Gali on Wednesday, received a congratulatory letter from former Mauritanian president Mohamed Khouna Ould Haidalla after his recent election as Secretary-General of the Polisario Front and president of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic
The former Mauritanian president conveyed "his warmest congratulations and best blessings to the President Brahim Gali, wishing him success in his noble mission."SPS
 

Luxembourg, July 19, 2016 (SPS) – The Polisario Front reaffirmed its rejection to the application of theEU-Morocco agricultural agreement in Western Sahara territory, before the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU), in a statement made public on the eve of the session of pleadings on Tuesday in Luxembourg in the trial of Polisario Front and the EU Commission.

Kigali, July 18, 2016 (SPS) – The African Union electronic passport (e-Passport) has been launched in the Rwandese capital Kigali on Sunday, during the 27th ordinary session of AU Heads of State and Government.
The AU e-Passport launch ceremony attended by African leaders.
The first group of beneficiaries are AU heads of State and Government, ministers of Foreign Affairs and permanent representatives of AU Member States.