Establishment of friendship group with the Saharawi people in the Norwegian Parliament

Oslo (Norway), Feb 06 2019 (SPS) - The Establishment of a friendship group with the Saharawi people in the Norwegian Parliament was announced Tuesday (05 February) to advocate for the right to self-determination for the people of Western Sahara

The group is the only network on such a foreign affairs issue that is constituted by parliamentarians from all nine political parties of the Norwegian parliament. The intergroup's purpose is to advocate for the right to self-determination for the people of Western Sahara. Part of the terrtory has been illegally occupied by Morocco since 1975. 

“Now, as the parties to this conflict is to meet again for UN talks in March, it is fundamental that Norwegian government unequivocally support the principles of international law. A solution to this conflict can only entail that the people of Western Sahara decide themselves on the question of independence”, MP Solfrid Lerbekk stated. 

Norway must support the Saharawi people's fundamental human rights and the work of the UN Special Envoy to solve the conflict. It is essential to increase the pressure on French government to allow the UN peacekeeping operation in Western Sahara to report on human rights violations it observes», MP Gisle Meininger Saudland said.

For his part, MP Geisel Menninger Saudland called on the Norwegian government to support and defend the basic human rights of the Saharawi people as well as the efforts of the Personal Envoy of the UN Secretary-General to Western Sahara, adding that it is essential to increase the pressure on French government to allow the UN peacekeeping operation in Western Sahara to report on human rights violations.SPS

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