Adala UK has addressed a letter to the Rt Hon David Lammy MP, the newly appointed Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, in response to the UK government’s recent joint communiqué with Morocco. In this statement, the UK expressed support for Morocco’s 2007 autonomy plan as the “most credible, viable and pragmatic” solution to the Western Sahara conflict. Adala UK strongly opposes this position, warning that it marks a concerning departure from the UK’s historical stance and risks legitimising Morocco’s occupation of Western Sahara while sidelining the Saharawi people’s right to self-determination.

The letter underscores that this new position stands in stark contrast to the UK’s own democratic values, particularly its support for self-determination in cases such as Scotland. Adala UK argues that the Saharawi people—recognised by the United Nations and the International Court of Justice as a distinct population with a right to determine their own political future—deserve the same opportunity to choose between independence, autonomy, or integration through a free and fair referendum.

Furthermore, the letter draws attention to the widespread and well-documented human rights violations occurring in the occupied territories, including arbitrary detention, torture, enforced disappearances, and repression of peaceful protest. Adala UK criticises the UK government’s failure to publicly address these abuses, which could be interpreted as tacit approval and risks compromising the UK’s credibility as a defender of human rights and international law.

Citing UK and European court rulings, the letter reminds the Foreign Secretary that Western Sahara is a non-self-governing territory, not part of Morocco, and that no trade or economic activity should be conducted there without the explicit consent of the Saharawi people. Adala UK concludes by calling on the UK government to reaffirm its commitment to a UN-led referendum, to withdraw support for Morocco’s unilateral proposal, and to integrate human rights concerns into all discussions involving Western Sahara.

click here to read full letter

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