The Deputy Permanent Representative of Western Sahara to the African Union, Ambassador Malainin Lakhal, in his responses to questions from “Chourouk Online,” referred to the recent African summit held in mid-month in Addis Ababa.

The summit issued a resolution classifying slavery, forced displacement, and colonialism as crimes against humanity. Additionally, the Algerian ambassador to Ethiopia, Salma Malika Haddadi, was elected Vice President of the African Commission. Lakhal discussed the impact of these developments on the issue of Western Sahara.

Chourouk Online: How do you view the visit of the French Minister of Culture, Rachida Dati, to the city of Laayoune in Western Sahara?

Malainin Lakhal: We consider the visit of the French Minister of Culture, of Moroccan origin, Rachida Dati, to the occupied territories of Western Sahara to be illegal, inappropriate, and provocative.

It reflects the well-known historical involvement of the French government—in fact, its direct involvement—with the Moroccan occupation and its desperate attempts to impose a supposed sovereignty over our territories.

This visit is not a cultural event, as claimed, but rather part of clear political support from Paris for Morocco’s colonial policies, in blatant violation of international law and the inalienable rights of the Sahrawi people, primarily the right to self-determination and independence.

This step reinforces our people’s conviction that France continues to be the main obstacle to a just resolution and persists in playing a negative role in the Sahrawi issue, ignoring international law, which has classified Western Sahara as an occupied territory undergoing a clear decolonization process since the 1960s.

Furthermore, the inauguration of so-called cultural projects under the aegis of the occupation does not change the fact that these territories are illegally occupied. No French presence, or any other presence, can grant imaginary legitimacy to the illegal Moroccan occupation.

We hold the French government responsible for this serious complicity and urge it to reconsider its policies of support for the occupation, which contradict the principles of justice and human rights.

We remind France that, as a permanent member of the UN Security Council, it has a significant responsibility in upholding international law. It is disgraceful that it continues to evade these responsibilities, or worse, support the occupation.

This stance also exposes France’s double standards in handling international conflicts, undermining its credibility when it claims to stand for international law in other cases.

We also reiterate that the Sahrawi people will not stand idly by in the face of attempts to erase their cultural identity. They will not accept any imposed reality through force or political and cultural manoeuvers.

The Sahrawi people will continue their legitimate resistance against all forms of occupation, colonialism, settlement, and the plundering of resources, including their cultural heritage.

Additionally, we cannot help but ask: where is the United Nations in response to Morocco’s blatant disregard for international law? Where is the European Union, which has always boasted about defending human rights?

And where is UNESCO in the face of this colonial attack on Sahrawi culture and identity? All relevant international organizations must urgently intervene to put an end to this cultural exploitation and prevent culture from being used as a colonial tool to justify occupation.

Just as the will of the Sahrawi people has thwarted all previous colonial plans, we are confident that these miserable attempts will also fail. We will continue our struggle until our land is liberated and our full national sovereignty is restored.

Chourouk Online: Last October, the European Court of Justice issued a final ruling declaring trade agreements between the European Union and Morocco null and void. What steps does the Sahrawi government intend to take following this ruling?

Malainin Lakhal: Indeed, the European Court of Justice’s final ruling, which confirmed the invalidity of trade agreements between the EU and Morocco because they included Western Sahara without the consent of the Sahrawi people, represents a historic victory for our cause. While I do not claim to know the specific plans and intentions of the Sahrawi government regarding the implementation of this decision and the prevention of any attempts to circumvent it, I believe a multidimensional approach could shape a future strategy in this context.

For example, this ruling could push the Sahrawi government to intensify diplomatic efforts with the EU and its member states to ensure full compliance with the decision and to prevent any economic transactions involving Western Sahara without the consent of the Polisario Front, the legitimate and sole representative of the Sahrawi people. Based on this ruling, we can now demand concrete measures for its enforcement, including halting all commercial activities that illegally exploit our natural resources.

This ruling also allows us to legally monitor any European company involved in the exploitation of Western Sahara’s natural resources and to take legal action against any entity that continues to violate the ruling. We have previous successful experiences in this area and will continue to use them to protect our economic rights.

Moreover, we can strengthen cooperation with our allies in Africa, Latin America, and Asia to support the legal and political position established by the Court. We will push the international community to take similar steps to halt illegal economic transactions with the Moroccan occupation.

Additionally, I believe the Sahrawi government can continue to exert pressure on the United Nations and the Security Council to compel Morocco to respect international law and cease the illegal exploitation of our natural resources. This ruling reinforces the legitimacy of our claims and confirms that Morocco has no sovereignty over Western Sahara.

Finally, we must emphasize that this historic ruling is a legal and diplomatic victory for the Sahrawi people. It strengthens our position in the legitimate struggle for self-determination and independence.

We must use all available legal, diplomatic, and media tools to ensure that this ruling has a tangible impact on the ground, benefiting our people and putting an end to the systematic plundering of our resources.

Chourouk Online: How could the election of Algerian representative Salma Malika Haddadi as Vice President of the African Union Commission, during the recent summit in which you participated, impact support for the Sahrawi cause within the African Union?

Malainin Lakhal: The election of Her Excellency Ambassador Salma Haddadi was a historic day for the entire African continent, which voted in favour of Algeria and its distinguished diplomat for one of the most important roles within the AU Commission.

Securing this position was not easy, given the strong competition from candidates representing Egypt, a country of great influence, and Morocco, which, in our view, entered the race solely to obstruct Algeria’s candidacy.

Regarding the Sahrawi cause, it is evident to all, even those who refuse to acknowledge the truth, that this is a clear case of decolonization. Morocco’s position is equally clear: it is an occupying, expansionist, and unlawful state. There is no room for doubt.

The immediate benefit of Algeria holding this position is that Algeria has always been a steadfast defender of international law, UN principles, and AU regulations.

I am confident that Algeria, through the Vice President of the Commission, will uphold these fundamental principles and ensure their enforcement. Algeria’s expertise and deep understanding of AU dynamics make it an invaluable asset.

We do not ask anyone to take our side or support our cause. We simply ask that everyone respects international law, African law, UN resolutions, and AU decisions, and upholds the right of all peoples to self-determination, freedom, and independence.

It is as simple as that.

© Chourouk Online