December 2016

Madrid (Spain), Dec 11, 2016 (SPS) - Spanish trade union confederation condemned Saturday the systematic human rights violations committed by Moroccan occupation authorities in the occupied territories of Western Sahara, calling the United  Nations to set a date for a referendum on Western Sahara people's self-determination.
In an address marking the International Human Rights Day, Jaime A. Tonda, A confederation's member, "strongly condemned the unfair trials against Saharawi political prisoners of Gdeim Izik group."

EL-Aaiun (Occupied Territories), December 11, 2016 (SPS) - The Moroccan occupation forces on Saturday evening intervened violently against Sahrawi demonstrators in the occupied city of EL-Aaiun, after responding to an appeal launched by the Coordination of Human Rights Activists in Western Sahara for demonstrations to commemorate the International Day of Human Rights on December 10.

Brussels, Dec 10, 2016 (SPS) - An amendment on the restoration of the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) in the fullness of its duties and the extension of its mandate to include human rights monitoring, suggested by 89 Euro-MPs, was introduced in 2015 annual report on human rights and democracy in the world and on the policy of the European Union (EU) on the matter.

Addis Ababa, Dec 10, 2016 (SPS) Minister Delegate to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in charge of African Affairs, Hamdi Khalil Mayara, Representative of Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mohamed-Salem Ould Salek, attended the 5th Ministerial Retreat of the Executive Council of the African Union, held December 8-9, in Addis Ababa.

Shaheed El-Hafed (Refugee Camps), Dec 10, 2016 (SPS) - The well-known Turkish daily Yeni Şafak has named member of the National Secretariat of the POLISARIO and Secretary General of the Union of Saharawi Women (UNMS) Ms. Fátima al-Mehdi at the top of a list of four Muslim women who work for peace, security, stability, human rights and provide a valuable service to the peoples of the world.

United Nations, December 8, 2016 (SPS) – The United Nations on Thursday appointed the Major Chinese General Wang Xiaojun as the new commander of the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO)
Wang Xiaojun, according to EFE, will replace the Pakistani Muhammad Tayyab Azam, whose term ended on November 7.
The new MINURSO commander knows the mission, since he held a post in 2003-2004, and also worked with the UN as a military observer in Kuwait between 1992 and 1993.

Vasteras (Sweden), December 8, 2016 (SPS) – the Swedish Minister of Sports and Health, Mr. Gabriel Wikström has received Sahrawi youth delegation from the Sahrawi Youth Union (UJSARIO), in the headquarters of the Swedish Social Democratic Party.
 

Chahid El Hafed, December 08, 2016 (SPS) -The President of the Republic, Secretary General of the Frente POLISARIO and Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces has praised during meeting of the Permanent Bureau of the National Secretariat, held on Wednesday, the mobilization of the military regions of the Saharawi People's Liberation Army (SPLA) to face  any eventuality.
 

Chahid El Hafed, December 08, 2016 (SPS) -The President of the Republic ,Secretary General of the Frente POLISARIO, Mr. Brahim Gali has presided, on Wednesday, a meeting of the Permanent Bureau of the National Secretariat, to address different aspects of the Saharawi cause at national and international level.
 

Brussels, December 08, 2016 (SPS) - Vice-Chair of the European Parliament's Delegation for relations with Maghreb countries, Maria Teresa Gimenez Barbat, said that the duty of the European Union should be to share Algeria's position on the Western Sahara, and underlined its crucial role in the stabilization of North Africa and the fight against terrorism.
"The EU's duty should be to share the same position as Algeria and defend Sahrawi people's right to decide their future," wrote recently Gimenez Barbat in the European Parliament Magazine, Opinion.

Berlin, Germany, December 08, 2016 (SPS) -The Minister of Culture and member of the National Secretariat, Ms. Khadiya Hamdi, undertook a working visit to Germany, where she was received at the headquarters of the German parliament, Ms. Inge Hoger of the German Left party.
 

Algeria, December 07, 2016 (SPS) - Kenya has confirmed its permanent standing with the right of the Saharawi people to freedom and independence, renewing its call for the international community to speed up the solution which enables Saharawi people to exercise their self-determination.

Quito (Ecuador), December 07, 2016 (SPS) - the Ecuadorian Municipality of Cayambe Tuesday has signed a twinning agreement with the Daira of Edchera, Aaiun, reported a source of Saharawi Embassy in Ecuador.
SADR Ambassador of Ecuador, Mr. Alisalem Sidi Zeinon has signed the agreement on behalf of the President of the Municipal Council of Edchera with the mayor of Cayambe, Mr. Guillermo Churuchumbi Lechón from the Ecuadorian side.

Chahid El Hafed, December 07, 2016 – the Prime Minister, Mr. Abdelkader Taleb Omar, received Tuesday the President of the Algerian party Al-Jat Al-Asil, Mr.Abd Al-Rahman Salam accompanied by the cadres of his party.
During the meeting, Abdelkader Taleb Omar, conveyed to the Algerian delegation the greetings of the President of the Republic, Secretary General of the Frente  POLISARIO, Mr. Brahim Gali, expressing his gratitude to the President of party for their support to Saharawi people and their just cause.

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, December 06, 2016 - The African Union Commission has issued a statement to clarify some media reports following Morocco's request for admission to the African Union (AU).
 
Decisions regarding the admission of a Member into the AU is the preserve of AU Member States, and not the Chairperson of the AU Commission, The African Union Commission says in its statement
 

Madrid, December 06, 2016 (SPS) - A humanitarian aid of 96.5 tons, worth €100000 will be sent to the Sahrawi refugee camps in December, by the Provincial Council of Ciudad Real (Spain), announced President of this Spanish province José Manuel Caballero. 
The humanitarian food aid allocated by the Provincial Council of Ciudad Real every year consists mainly of food staples such as rice, lentils, pasta and oil to help relieve "the Sahrawi population living in the refugee camps,” the source said.

Bojador, December 06, 2016 (SPS) - The 8th Congress of Sahrawi Workers Union (UGTSARIO) has strongly condemned the Moroccan occupying authorities looting of Sahrawi people natural resources in the occupied territories of Western Sahara.

Bojador (Saharwi Refugee Camps), December 06, 2016 (SPS) - The Moroccan occupation of Western Sahara is similar to the Israeli occupation of Palestine, said Monday, in Bojador, Moussa Mohamed El Khazendar, member of the Palestinian committee of solidarity with the Sahrawi people.
In a statement to the press, El Khazendar underlined that there are “similarities between the Sahrawi cause and the Palestinian cause, namely the injustice and repression of Moroccan and Israeli colonialisms.”

Boujdour (Refugee Camps) - The 8th Congress of Sahrawi Workers Union (UGTSARIO) has elected Salama Brahim as its Secretary-General for the next mandate.
The election of the Secretary-General was based on Article 54 of the Basic Law of the Union, as he obtained 160 from 384 votes among two other candidates in the second round, announced the election committee.    

Boujdour (refugee camps), Dec 5, 2016 (SPS) - The participants in the 7th International Conference of Solidarity with Sahrawi Workers denounced the illegal exploitation of Western Sahara resources by the Moroccan occupier, and urged the United Nations to intervene and end the repressive policy against Sahrawi people.