EU Explanation of Position: UN General Assembly 4th Committee: Question of Western Sahara

President,

I have the honour to speak on behalf of the European Union and its Member States.

The Candidate Countries North Macedonia^*, Montenegro^*, the Republic of Moldova, Bosnia and Herzegovina^*, as well as San Marino, align themselves with this statement.

We look forward to the consensual adoption of the resolution on the situation concerning Western Sahara.

We welcome the efforts of the Secretary-General to achieve a just, lasting and mutually acceptable political solution, which will provide for the self-determination of the people of Western Sahara in the context of arrangements consistent with the principles and purposes of the Charter of the United Nations and the Security Council Resolutions. We continue to encourage the parties to work towards such a solution, within the framework of the United Nations.

We fully support the work undertaken by Staffan de Mistura and his engagement in his efforts to relaunch negotiations to achieve a just, lasting and mutually acceptable political solution and for the close cooperation he has with the European Union. We also encourage all the parties to engage in a cooperative search for a solution in accordance with the Security Council resolutions and the principles and purposes of the Charter of the United Nations.

We are grateful for the work of Alexander Ivanko as Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Western Sahara and Head of MINURSO and we support him in this capacity.

The adoption of UNSCR 2703 (2023), which expressed full support to the Secretary-General and his Personal Envoy to facilitate negotiations to achieve a solution to the Western Sahara question, and which reiterated the call upon all parties to cooperate fully with MINURSO was very welcome and we look forward to its renewal. We fully support the meaningful participation of women and youth in the political process.

We encourage the parties to continue to show political will and work in an atmosphere conducive for dialogue in order to enter into the next phase of negotiations in good faith, without preconditions and taking note of efforts and developments since 2006, thus ensuring implementation of Security Council resolutions 1754, 1783, 1813, 1871, 1920, 1979 2044, 2099, 2152, 2218, 2285, 2351, 2414, 2468, 2494, 2548, 2602, 2654, and 2703 as well as the success of negotiations. It is important that the parties demonstrate further political will towards a solution.

We remain however concerned about the impact of the UN liquidity crisis on the operations of the MINURSO mission.

We also note with deep concern insufficient funding for those living in Tindouf refugee camps and urge the international community to provide new and additional voluntary contributions. We support the Security Council request that UNHCR maintain its consideration of a refugee registration in the Tindouf refugee camps.

We encourage the parties to further collaborate with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in the implementation of confidence building measures (CBM). We welcome the progress made in the past on the issue of the CBM, as we are convinced that progress on these issues could help to improve the atmosphere for the political process.

We remain concerned about the implications of the Western Sahara conflict for security and cooperation in the region.

I thank you.

*North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Albania and Bosnia and Herzegovina continue to be part of the Stabilisation and Association Process.