London, United Kingdom — Adala UK has issued an appeal to members of the United Nations Security Council, urging them to uphold the Sahrawi people’s inalienable right to self-determination and ensure that international law remains the foundation of any political settlement concerning Western Sahara.

In its communication to Security Council members, Adala UK expressed concern over the direction of the proposed resolution concerning the renewal of the mandate of the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO), warning against any approach that could predetermine the territory’s political future or place a particular political proposal above the freely expressed wishes of the Sahrawi people.

Adala UK stressed that Western Sahara remains on the United Nations list of Non-Self-Governing Territories and that its decolonization process remains unresolved. The organisation recalled Security Council Resolution 690 (1991), which established MINURSO as part of the international framework for a referendum on self-determination.

The communication emphasises that the passage of time and changing geopolitical circumstances cannot justify the abandonment of the fundamental principles underpinning the UN-led process. Nor should diplomatic negotiations be used to narrow the choices available to the Sahrawi people or impose a predetermined political outcome.

International Law Must Prevail Over Geopolitical Interests

Adala UK warned that allowing the strategic interests of powerful states to take precedence over the right to self-determination could establish a dangerous precedent for the international community, undermining confidence in the United Nations and weakening the consistent application of international law.

The organisation emphasised that a lasting and legitimate settlement must respect the rights and freely expressed wishes of the Sahrawi people. An agreement shaped primarily by the preferences of influential international actors, without ensuring the genuine exercise of self-determination, risks prolonging the conflict rather than resolving it.

Adala UK therefore called on Security Council members to examine the proposed resolution in the context of the relevant General Assembly and Security Council resolutions, preserve the legal foundations and original purpose of MINURSO, and ensure that the mission’s mandate does not prejudge the final status of Western Sahara.

A Call to Uphold the Sahrawi People’s Rights

Adala UK urged the Security Council to support a credible, impartial and transparent UN-led process that safeguards the Sahrawi people’s freedom to determine their political future.

The organisation further stressed that the credibility of the United Nations depends on its willingness to defend international law consistently, particularly when fundamental rights come into conflict with geopolitical interests.

The future of Western Sahara must not be decided through political arrangements imposed upon the Sahrawi people. Their right to self-determination must remain at the heart of the international process, and no lasting peace can be built by sidelining the rights of the people concerned.

Adala UK calls upon all Security Council members to act responsibly and in accordance with the principles of the UN Charter, ensuring that the pursuit of a political settlement does not come at the expense of the Sahrawi people’s legitimate rights and aspirations.

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