26 March 2019 Newsletter Issue: 2

SELF-DETERMINATION INDEPENDENCE SOLIDARITY

Newsletter photo credits: DIRCO News/GCIS

South African President, , delivers welcome address at the SADC Solidarity Conference with Western Sahara

“In the many times he addressed the international It is only through the implementation of these community on the anti- struggle, Comrade decisions that a solution to the Western Sahara OR, as he was known, spoke of the role of ‘men and question can be achieved. This must be done in the women of conscience’ in giving voice to the spirit of multilateralism, based on the Charter of the struggles of oppressed peoples everywhere. and the applicable provisions of the Gathered here today are men and women of African Union. conscience. “We continue to urge all the parties involved to “You stood by during the struggle for negotiate, in good faith and without preconditions, to our own liberation, and today you are here to affirm ensure that an enduring solution is found. We once your solidarity with the Saharawi people in their again affirm our support for the work being done by quest for self-determination. the AU and the UN, particularly the initiatives taken by the UN Secretary-General. We are immensely “The presence of representatives from the national encouraged by the efforts of the Personal Envoy of liberation movements of the region, from the African the UN Secretary-General for Western Sahara, Union and African Union Commission, from the former German president Horst Koehler, who is Southern African Development Community and our facilitating a political dialogue between the Kingdom friends in the international community sends the of Morocco and Polisario. clearest of messages. “This is a development to be welcomed and “That we are with the people of the Western Sahara. encouraged. We stand with you, we support you, and we will never forget you.” “As countries of the SADC region who have waged struggles in pursuit of our own liberation, we know President Ramaphosa said the conference reflected too well the pain of being deprived of the right to be the commitment, as the countries of Africa, treated as full citizens in the land of one’s birth. The supported by friends in the international community, pain of the Saharawi people, their trauma brought to call for a just, acceptable and lasting solution to about by displacement and exile, is ours too. the situation in Western Sahara. “So long as the aspirations of the people of Western “…the people of Western Sahara have been Sahara are not met, we will fall short of realising the President Cyril Ramaphosa this morning delivered deprived of the most fundamental right of a people – vision of the AU’s Agenda 2063 of a continent at the welcome address at the Southern African the right to determine their own destiny. peace with itself. Development Community’s (SADC) Solidarity Conference with the Sahrawi Arab Democratic “We are here to hear from the Saharawi Arab “As a collective, let us reaffirm our support for the Republic or Western Sahara. Democratic Republic and Polisario what we can do UN process that seeks to bring these two African to aid them in advancing their cause. nations, Morocco and the SADR, back to the “On behalf of the people and government of South negotiating table. Africa I would like to welcome you to our country. We “While we are here to express our unwavering are honoured to be hosting this historic act of solidarity with the just cause of our brothers and “As lovers of peace and freedom – as men and solidarity with the Saharawi people. sisters, any actions going forward must be decided women of conscience – let us step up our upon by the Saharawi people and not any external international solidarity efforts, in both word and President Ramaphosa said it was fitting that the entity. deed, with the people of Western Sahara, with conference took place in a building named after Polisario and with the Saharawi Arab Democratic Oliver Reginald Tambo, a legendary statesman and a “We are here to deliberate on the way in which we Republic. committed internationalist who was unwavering in his can use our respective positions with the United support for the struggle for self-determination of the Nations and African Union to advocate for the urgent “It was international solidarity that brought down the Saharawi people. implementation, without delay, of all the UN Security barbaric system of apartheid, and it is international Council and AU decisions on Western Sahara, solidarity that will see realised the foremost “It was Oliver Reginald Tambo who affirmed, as we do including the holding of a referendum. aspiration of the people of Western Sahara: to be today, that international solidarity is an imperative for independent and free. progressive peoples everywhere.

The plight of Western Sahara

It has been 43 years since Western Sahara was annexed, and for these four decades the people of Western Sahara have had to ensure dispossession, displacement, conflict and the deprivation of their liberties.

The Saharawi people have lived in refugee camps in Tindouf in Algeria since the 1970s, making this one of the longest humanitarian crises the world has known. In these camps, men, women and children live in desperate conditions, relying on international aid to survive.

The situation of the Saharawi people is a blight on the human conscience, all the more so that it has endured for far too long.

It has been three decades since the United Nations Security Council adopted Resolution 621 of 1998 first calling for a referendum on self- determination for the people of Western Sahara.

But despite successive Security Council resolutions and decisions of the Organisation of African Unity and African Union, this critical step has not taken place. Dr Hage G. Geingob, President of the Republic of and SADC Chairperson, opens the SADC Solidarity Conference

During the official opening of the conference, Dr Geingob said he was aware of growing President Geingob thanked President Cyril divisions on the continent on the issue of Western Ramaphosa, the Government and the people of Sahara. South Africa for accepting to host the conference and for the wonderful hospitality accorded to his He emphasised: “Now that the Kingdom of delegation. He also thanked all Heads of State Morocco has been admitted into the AU fraternity, and Government and representatives from we thought that we will work together, at African friendly countries for their presence. Union and United Nations level, to ensure that like all of us, the people of Western Sahara can He said the conference was held in the spirit of enjoy their inalienable right to independence and Pan Africanism, to reaffirm solidarity with the self-determination”. people of Western Sahara, in their struggle for their inalienable right to self-determination and “Let us be committed and unwavering in our independence. support to the people of Western Sahara. As we enjoy our hard earned freedom and democracy, The President quoted Oliver Reginald Tambo, the so should the Sahrawi people. former President of the ANC, when he addressed the 50th session of the OAU Coordinating “This Conference is an affirmation of the Committee for the liberation of Africa, in Harare, importance we attach to the plight of the people Zimbabwe on 13 May 1988. of Western Sahara to achieve their inalienable rights to freedom. Comrade Tambo stated that “The objectives of the Committee will have become achievable The international community should continue to because the OAU Coordinating Committee for the support efforts aimed at resolving once and for all Liberation of Africa carried out its mandate, the question of Western Sahara, the last colony sweeping aside all obstacles to the emancipation on the Continent, to hold a free and fair of the peoples of Africa from the shores of the referendum to determine their destiny. The Mediterranean to the confluence of the Indian and decolonisation of Africa will not be complete until Atlantic Oceans.” the day the people of Western Sahara decide the fate of their future status, through a free and fair “Comrade Tambo envisioned the total Liberation referendum. of Africa from colonial occupation and oppression. Although many African countries have achieved “The Africa We Want, is an Africa which is this feat, Western Sahara remains occupied to characterised by peace, stability and unity. These this day. It is therefore befitting that we have are the prerequisites for the pursuit of our convened today in the OR Tambo Building, aspirations, which can only be achieved through demonstrative of our concerted efforts towards an the establishment of a united and integrated international solidarity in cause of freedom for the African continent. “Freedom is not a gift to the people of Sahrawi people. “Therefore, our call for the freedom of the people Western Sahara. It is a right. “The prolonged impasse on the Western Sahara of Western Sahara is not aimed at dividing the issue will have grave consequences on the continent; instead, it is aimed at fulfilling the “No one can bestow freedom on the functioning of our Union. We can only move drams of Africa’s founding fathers: extraordinary forward when freedom is guaranteed to all our personalities like Julius Kamabarage Nyerere Saharawi people; for freedom is their birth citizens. As said by the revolutionary icon of Pan who believed that, ‘No nation has the right to right, which no one can keep from them Africanism, Kwame Nkrumah, ‘Freedom is not make decisions for another nation; no people for something that one people can bestow on another people.’ and which they must claim as their own.” another as a gift. They claim it as their own and none can keep it from them.’” “Let us bring to fruition, the dream of our Founding Fathers, let us build a free, united and President Geingob “Freedom is not a gift to the people of Western prosperous African House. An Africa House in Sahara. It is a right. No one can bestow freedom which the people of Western Sahara will enjoy on the Saharawi people; for freedom is their birth the freedom to pursue their aspirations and right, which no one can keep from them and thereby regain their dignity.” which they must claim as their own.

In pictures

President of the Saharawi Arab Democratic Republic, His Excellency Brahim Ghali Overview of the conference presented by His Excellency, Olusegun Obasanjo, former presenting his statement to the conference. President of Nigeria.

Solidarity Statements

President of the Republic of Zimbabwe, HE Emmerson Mnangagwa President of the Republic of Uganda,

Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Lesotho, Dr. Thomas Thabane Vice President of the Republic of Angola, Benito Souza

Vice President of the Republic of , Slumber Tsogwane Vice President of the Republic of , Ines Maria Chapman Waugh

Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Minister of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, Jorge Arreaza of the People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria, Ramtane Lamamra

Minister of the Republic of Mozambique, Eusebio Lambo Gondiwa Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Geoffrey Jideofor Kwusike Onyeama Solidarity Statements …

Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kenya, Ababu Nanwamba Minister of the Democratic Republic of Sao Tome and Principe, Ivete da Graca dos Santos L Correia

Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Lesotho, Dr. Thomas Thabane

Special Envoy of the President of the Democratic Republic of Timor Leste, Minister of the Republic of Nicaragua, Mohamed Mohamed Farrara Lashter Rogue Felix Jesus Rodriquez

Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation of the Representative of Former Liberation Movements, Comrade Mpofu, United Republic of , Dr. Damasi Ndumbaro Secretary-General ZANU PF on behalf of Former Liberation movements Media briefing at the conclusion of the conference

At the conclusion of the conference, the SADC Deputy Executive Secretary, Ambassador Joseph Nourrice presented the conference declaration. This was followed by a media briefing, addressed by Dr Hage G. Geingob, President of the Republic of Namibia and Chairperson of SADC.

He was accompanied by Ms Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of International Relations and Cooperation of the Republic of Namibia and Chairperson of the SADC Council of Ministers, Ms Lindiwe Sisulu, Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Republic of South Africa, and Amb Nourrice.

“The decolonisation of Africa will not be complete until the day the people of Western Sahara decide the fate of their future status, through a free and fair referendum,” President Geingob said.

In earlier news

Arrival of the President of Uganda, Yoweri Museveni, at Lanseria Airport on 25 Arrival of the President Zimbabwe, Emmerson Mnangagwa, at Lanseria Airport on 25 March March 2019. He was welcomed by the Deputy Minister of International Relations 2019. He was welcomed by the Deputy Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, and Cooperation, Ms Reginah Mhaule. Ms Reginah Mhaule.

Arrival of the , Dr. Hage Geingob at Waterkloof Airforce base Arrival of the Vice President of Botswana, Mr Slumber Tsogwana at Waterkloof Airforce Base on 26 March 2019. He was welcomed by the Deputy Minister of International on 26 March 2019. He was welcomed by the Deputy Minister of International Relations and Relations and Cooperation, Mr Lluwelyn Landers. Cooperation Mr Lluwelyn Landers. #SADCSaharawiSolidarity

“We…will continue to support your struggle by all means necessary, in order for both our just causes to triumph.” Speech by Oliver Reginald Tambo, then President of the exiled-African National Congress, on a visit to the Western Sahara liberated zone in Tifariti, 22 July 1988

Read the Declaration of the SADC Solidarity Conference with the Saharawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR)/Western Sahara on www.sadc.int.