Pedro Sánchez addressed the Western Sahara in Congress, but removed references to Sahrawi people and self-determination from his remarks.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez spoke about the Western Sahara in Congress, using language that omitted the Sahrawi people and their right to self-determination. This occurred on the same day that European flights continued to treat Dakhla and El Aaiún as Moroccan destinations, and over 400 Sahrawis remain missing. Sánchez's speech referenced UN Resolution 2797, focusing on autonomy within Morocco and a political solution, while excluding the resolution's explicit mention of self-determination for the Sahrawi people.
European Union air agreements with Morocco do not legally apply to the Western Sahara, recognizing it as a distinct territory. However, flights to Dakhla and El Aaiún are still operating and promoted as if these cities are within Morocco. This creates a discrepancy between the legal status of the territory and its practical treatment in travel and commerce, blurring the lines of its separate identity.
Amidst diplomatic discussions on autonomy and feasible solutions, the reality of over 400 missing Sahrawis, as reported by CONTRAMUTIS based on the Sahrawi National Human Rights Commission, remains unaddressed. This includes individuals like Basiri, who disappeared after being detained by Spanish authorities in 1970, highlighting that the Sahrawi issue cannot be solely reduced to state-level diplomatic convenience.
Why it mattersThe Sahrawi people are affected by the Spanish Prime Minister's omission of their right to self-determination in official discussions about their territory.
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