VP/HR — Minurso to return to the Sahara

18.7.2016

Question for written answer E-005923-16
to the Commission (Vice-President/High Representative)
Rule 130
Javier Couso Permuy (GUE/NGL)

The UN has reached an agreement with Morocco to restore Minurso, its mission to Western Sahara, to ‘full functionality’. With the restoration of its civilian component, Minurso once again has the capacity it needs to fulfil its principal function, i.e. hold a referendum on self-determination. The fact that two decades have now passed and such a referendum has still not taken place has allowed Morocco to pillage the resources of the territory and commit systematic human rights abuses, using arbitrary detention, torture and terrorism against the people, with living conditions in the refugee camps growing worse by the day.

In view of this:

Is the European Union aware of the human rights violations that Morocco has committed? Is the EU aware of the UN resolutions on holding a self-determination referendum, which would, moreover, help stabilise an extremely important neighbouring region?

Will the EU be backing the UN and making a firm commitment to the holding of a referendum and to putting an end to the illegal occupation of the Sahara, thus enabling Africa’s last colony finally to secure its independence?