Sahrawi Cause receives strong support in UN Fourth Committee discussions

New York (United Nations), October 7, 2025 (SPS) – The Sahrawi cause received strong support during the discussions of the Special Political and Decolonization Committee (Fourth Committee) of the United Nations General Assembly, where several countries called for enabling the Sahrawi people to exercise their right to self-determination, in accordance with General Assembly Resolution 1514 (XV) on the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples.

In a statement delivered on behalf of the Group of Friends in Defense of the UN Charter, the representative of Venezuela reaffirmed the group’s responsibility, as accountable members of the international community, toward the peoples of Western Sahara, Puerto Rico, and Palestine, among others, in their just struggle to exercise their inalienable rights as stipulated in the UN Charter and in Resolution 1514 (XV).

In a statement delivered on behalf of his country, the Venezuelan representative reiterated his country's firm support and unwavering solidarity with the just cause of the Sahrawi people, which has endured for over 50 years. He called for a peaceful, just, lasting, and mutually acceptable solution to the question of Western Sahara, based on relevant resolutions of the General Assembly, the Security Council, and the African Union.

He also expressed hope that the Personal Envoy of the Secretary-General would succeed in reviving the political process through direct negotiations between the two parties and called for the full implementation of the mandate of the UN Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO). He rejected unilateral proposals aimed at undermining the Sahrawi people’s right to self-determination and their legitimate national aspirations.

The representative of Angola emphasized that the work of the Fourth Committee will not be complete until decolonization is achieved globally. He stressed the need to fully and immediately implement the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples without preconditions. He reaffirmed Angola's principled stance against all forms of colonialism and support for the right of peoples in non-self-governing territories to self-determination and independence.

In this context, the Angolan representative noted that Western Sahara remains the last African territory that has not yet achieved full independence and self-determination, making it the last colony in Africa. He stressed that resolving the question of Western Sahara requires urgent and unconditional implementation of all relevant resolutions of the UN General Assembly, Security Council, and African Union. He reaffirmed Angola’s support for the Sahrawi people’s inalienable right to self-determination, independence, and sovereignty over their territory and natural resources.

For his part, the Mexican representative reaffirmed his country’s support for efforts to reach a just, lasting, and mutually acceptable political solution to the question of Western Sahara, allowing the Sahrawi people to exercise their right to self-determination in accordance with relevant resolutions of the Security Council and General Assembly. He also stressed Mexico's strong commitment to the mandate of the UN Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) and expressed hope that the Security Council will renew MINURSO's mandate later this month.

The Russian Federation's representative noted that 17 territories remain on the agenda of the Fourth Committee that have not yet exercised their inalienable right to self-determination. He highlighted the crucial role of the Fourth Committee and the Special Committee on Decolonization in protecting the interests of the peoples of those territories.

The Uruguayan representative reminded the committee that the mission of decolonization, which began more than 60 years ago, remains incomplete, as 17 territories are still under foreign colonial rule—a remnant of an outdated colonial era that unfortunately persists into the 21st century.