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New Zealand reaffirms support to UN peace process and to the holding of a referendum of self-determination in Western Sahara

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Willengton (New Zealand) 15 December 2020 (SPS)- New Zealand Minister for Foreign Affairs, H.E. Nanaia Mahuta, reaffirmed today her country’s strong support tp the UN peace process in Western Sahara.
“New Zealand’s long-standing position on Western Sahara is unchanged and we remain strongly supportive of the United Nations peace process,” she stressed.
New Zealand had repeatedly expressed its support for the organization of a referendum on self-determination under the auspices of the United Nations that would enable the Sahrawi people to determine their fate in accordance with the relevant UN resolutions.
In a statement to the Times-Age last month, New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs said: “New Zealand takes an active interest on matters of self-determination and is strongly supportive of the United Nations process in Western Sahara, including the holding of a genuine act of self-determination by the Sahrawi people.”
Polisario Representative to Australia and New Zealand, Mr. Kamal Fadel, welcomed New Zealand position and expressed Saharawi authorities’ appreciation for New Zealand’s longstanding position on Western Sahara which is in line with international legality and UN resolutions.
While it was a non-permanent member of the Security Council in 2015 and 2016, New Zealand played an important role in encouraging the Security Council to include human rights monitoring within the mandate of the UN mission in the Territory MINURSO. (SPS)
090/500/60 (SPS)