Sahrawi People's Right to Self-Determination Under International Law
On August 12, 2026, in Boumerdes, Sahrawi Ambassador Mr. Malainin Lakhal delivered a pivotal lecture during the 14th Edition of the Summer University for Executives of the Sahrawi State and the Polisario Front. The lecture, titled "International Law and the Sahrawi People's Right to Self-Determination," underscored the firmly established right of the Sahrawi people to seek self-determination as recognized by international law. Mr. Lakhal emphasized that this right has been consistently affirmed by numerous United Nations resolutions since 1963, categorizing the situation of Western Sahara as a decolonization issue and characterizing Morocco's role as that of an occupying power.
The Sahrawi diplomat elaborated on the significant legal advancements concerning the Sahrawi cause, beginning with the International Court of Justice's ruling in 1975, which unequivocally recognized the Sahrawi people's entitlement to self-determination and clarified that Morocco lacked sovereignty over the territory. He made reference to various resolutions from the Organization of African Unity and the African Union, along with decisions from European courts since 2016, all of which reinforce the notion that Morocco does not hold sovereignty over Western Sahara, distinguishing it as a separate entity.
Mr. Lakhal further emphasized that the Sahrawi people's right to self-determination is not merely theoretical but is recognized at the international level, and he highlighted that the Sahrawi Republic's status as a founding and active member of the African Union illustrates this reality. Within the Union, the occupying state coexists alongside the Sahrawi Republic, both of which operate under the framework established by the African Union's Constitutive Act.
Moreover, the ambassador made it clear that any attempts by Morocco and its allies to extricate the self-determination issue from its legal context face significant challenges due to the robust legal groundwork supporting the Sahrawi cause. He noted that this legal standing was not easily attained; it resulted from relentless diplomatic and legal struggles championed by the Sahrawi people, bolstered by the support of their allies.
Concluding his presentation, Mr. Lakhal asserted that the path forward necessitates a consultation with the Sahrawi people through a free and fair referendum, allowing them to determine their own future.
As reported by spsrasd.info.
