Understanding the Context of the UN Secretary-General's Report on the Western Sahara Issue
Abdel Aadel Ibn Hamza, a prominent member of the High Council for Audiovisual Communication, author, and politician, has weighed in on recent discussions surrounding a leaked draft report by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres concerning a referendum and the formation of a transitional council related to the Western Sahara issue. Ibn Hamza asserts that the contents of this document do not introduce new proposals but rather reiterate elements from the autonomy initiative presented by the Kingdom of Morocco in 2007.
In a post on his official social media account, which was reviewed by the news outlet "Al Yaoum 24," Ibn Hamza emphasized the importance of contextualizing the interpretations surrounding the revived discussions on the referendum and transitional council. He pointed out that both topics were previously included in Morocco's autonomy initiative, which detailed mechanisms for approving and implementing the self-governance framework, along with arrangements for the transitional phase.
Specifically, Ibn Hamza highlighted paragraph 27 of the Moroccan initiative, which mentions offering the autonomy system to the concerned populations through a free referendum as part of a democratic consultation. He underscored that this aligns with international legitimacy, the UN Charter, and the resolutions of both the General Assembly and the Security Council, representing a free exercise of the right to self-determination by these populations.
Additionally, he pointed out that paragraph 32 of the initiative includes a proposal to establish a transitional council following the parties' agreement on the autonomy project. This council would comprise representatives from all sides, facilitating the management of the return of individuals from camps to their homeland, disarmament, demobilization, and the reintegration of armed elements outside the region. It would also contribute to efforts aimed at establishing and implementing the self-governance system, including electoral processes.
Regarding the final paragraph of section 10 in Guterres' report, which references the personal envoy of the Secretary-General and emphasizes that any proposal for autonomy must meet the highest international standards and be supported by strong international guarantees, Ibn Hamza opined that these stipulations do not contradict Morocco's proposals within the autonomy initiative.
In his overall analysis, Ibn Hamza believes that Guterres' report indicates that the parties are effectively beginning to implement Security Council resolution 2797, which positions Morocco's 2007 autonomy initiative as the basis for negotiations. He views this as a practical acceptance of the initiative by the Polisario Front, despite the internal propaganda narrative adopted by the group.
In conclusion, Ibn Hamza calls for a comprehensive understanding of the Secretary-General's report in relation to the content of Morocco's autonomy initiative and the negotiation process, stressing that the issues surrounding the referendum and transitional council were originally proposed by Morocco back in 2007.
As reported by alyaoum24.com.
