Boumerdès, August 6, 2025 (SPS) – The Deputy Permanent Representative of the Sahrawi Republic to the African Union, Ambassador Malainin Lakhal, affirmed on Wednesday that the Sahrawi Republic’s admission to the African Union (AU) marked a strategic diplomatic achievement and a historic blow to the occupation regime, the repercussions of which continue to be felt to this day.
The Sahrawi diplomat made these remarks during a lecture titled "Official and Popular Sahrawi Diplomacy: Methods, Achievements, Challenges, and Prospects" at Mohamed Bougara University in Boumerdès, as part of the Summer University program for executives of the Polisario Front and the Sahrawi State. He highlighted the Polisario Front’s strong presence at the United Nations, as well as its legal and political advocacy before the UN and its various bodies. Since the mid-1970s, the Polisario Front has been recognized by the UN, enabling its representatives to regularly participate in meetings of the UN Fourth Committee, human rights forums in Geneva, and engagements with the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), among others.
The speaker also emphasized the crucial role played by both official diplomacy, represented by the Sahrawi state, and popular or unofficial diplomacy conducted by mass organizations, professional unions, civil society groups, intellectuals, youth activists, and social media influencers. Additionally, parliamentary diplomacy has been instrumental in reaching political decision-making centers worldwide.
The lecture shed light on the key diplomatic strategies employed since the 1970s to secure recognition for the Sahrawi Republic, which has been acknowledged by over 84 countries since its proclamation in 1976.
The diplomat underscored the Sahrawi Republic’s active presence in the AU since its official admission in 1982, followed by its participation in the first Organization of African Unity (OAU) summit in 1984. He described this as a strategic diplomatic victory and a historic setback for the occupation regime, the effects of which persist today.
The Sahrawi official also noted the formation of strong alliances with countries in Latin America and Africa, where the Sahrawi cause enjoys significant popular and official support.
Furthermore, the lecture addressed the role of the Sahrawi diaspora in amplifying pressure on certain European governments, particularly those directly involved in the issue, such as Spain and France. The protests organized in recent years have drawn attention and influenced public opinion.
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