United Nations Security Council Resolution 621

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UN Security Council
Resolution 621
LocationmoroccowithSO.png
Western Sahara (light green) and Morocco (dark green)
Date20 September 1988
Meeting no.2,826
CodeS/RES/621 (Document)
SubjectWestern Sahara
Voting summary
15 voted for
None voted against
None abstained
ResultAdopted
Security Council composition
Permanent members
Non-permanent members

United Nations Security Council resolution 621, adopted unanimously on 20 September 1988, after hearing a joint report by the Secretary-General and Organisation of African Unity (OAU), the Council noted an agreement between Morocco and the Frente Polisario on 30 August 1988 to the joint proposals by the Secretary-General and OAU.

Secretary-General of the United Nations head of the United Nations Secretariat

The secretary-general of the United Nations is the head of the United Nations Secretariat, one of the six principal organs of the United Nations. The secretary-general serves as the chief administrative officer of the United Nations. The role of the United Nations Secretariat, and of the secretary-general in particular, is laid out by Chapter XV of the United Nations Charter.

Organisation of African Unity Organization

The Organisation of African Unity was an intergovernmental organization established on 25 May 1963 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, with 32 signatory governments. One of the main heads for OAU's establishment was Kwame Nkrumah of Ghana. It was disbanded on 9 July 2002 by its last chairperson, South African President Thabo Mbeki, and replaced by the African Union (AU). Some of the key aims of the OAU were to encourage political and economic integration among member states, and to eradicate colonialism and neo-colonialism from the African continent. Although it achieved some success, there were also differences of opinion as to how that was going to be achieved.

Morocco Country in North Africa

Morocco, officially the Kingdom of Morocco, is a sovereign state located in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It overlooks the Mediterranean Sea to the north and the Atlantic Ocean to the west. Morocco claims the areas of Ceuta, Melilla and Peñón de Vélez de la Gomera, all of them under Spanish jurisdiction. The capital is Rabat and the largest city Casablanca. Morocco spans an area of 710,850 km2 (274,460 sq mi) and has a population of over 35 million.

Contents

The Council noted its anxiety to those efforts to support a referendum for self-determination of the people of Western Sahara, organised and supervised by the United Nations in conjunction with the OAU. In this vein, the resolution decided to appoint a Special Representative for Western Sahara, requesting the Secretary-General to transmit a report on the holding of a referendum in Western Sahara and ways to ensure the organisation of such a referendum by the UN and OAU.

The right of a people to self-determination is a cardinal principle in modern international law, binding, as such, on the United Nations as authoritative interpretation of the Charter's norms. It states that people, based on respect for the principle of equal rights and fair equality of opportunity, have the right to freely choose their sovereignty and international political status with no interference.

Western Sahara Disputed Territory

Western Sahara is a disputed territory on the northwest coast and in the Maghreb region of North and West Africa, partially controlled by the self-proclaimed Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic and partially occupied by neighboring Morocco. Its surface area amounts to 266,000 square kilometres (103,000 sq mi). It is one of the most sparsely populated territories in the world, mainly consisting of desert flatlands. The population is estimated at just over 500,000, of which nearly 40% live in Laayoune, the largest city in Western Sahara.

See also

The history of Western Sahara can be traced back to the times of Carthaginian explorer Hanno the Navigator in the 5th century BC. Though few historical records are left from that period, Western Sahara's modern history has its roots linked to some nomadic groups such as the Sanhaja group, and the introduction of Islam and the Arabic language at the end of the 8th century AD.

Polisario Front Military and political organisation in Western Sahara

The Polisario Front, Frente Polisario, FRELISARIO or simply POLISARIO, from the Spanish abbreviation of Frente Popular de Liberación de Saguía el Hamra y Río de Oro, is a Sahrawi rebel national liberation movement aiming to end Moroccan presence in the Western Sahara. It is an observer member of the Socialist International. The United Nations considers the Polisario Front to be the legitimate representative of the Sahrawi people and maintains that the Sahrawis have a right to self-determination. The Polisario Front is outlawed in the parts of Western Sahara under Moroccan control, and it is illegal to raise its party flag there.

Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic Partially recognised state of Western Sahara

The Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic, is a partially recognized state that claims the non-self-governing territory of Western Sahara, but controls only the easternmost one-fifth of that territory. Until 1976, Western Sahara was known as Spanish Sahara, a Spanish colony.

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Settlement Plan

The Settlement Plan was an agreement between the ethnically Saharawi Polisario Front and Morocco on the organization of a referendum, which would constitute an expression of self-determination for the people of Western Sahara, leading either to full independence, or integration with the Kingdom of Morocco. It resulted in a cease-fire which remains effective to this day, and the establishment of the MINURSO peace force to oversee it and to organize the referendum. The referendum never occurred.

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United Nations Security Council resolution 809, adopted unanimously on 2 March 1993, after recalling resolutions 621 (1988), 658 (1990), 690 (1991) and 725 (1991), in addition to noting a report by the Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali on the situation in Western Sahara, the Council expressed concern at delays in implementing the Settlement Plan and invited the Secretary-General and his Special Representative to intensify efforts with the Government of Morocco and Polisario Front to address issues of contention, particularly with regards to voter eligibility.

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United Nations Security Council resolution 1215, adopted unanimously on 17 December 1998, after reaffirming all previous resolutions on the question of the Western Sahara, in particular Resolution 1204 (1998), the Council extended the mandate of the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) until 31 January 1999 to allow for further consultations between parties.

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United Nations Security Council resolution 1359, adopted unanimously on 29 June 2001, after recalling all previous resolutions on Western Sahara, in particular Resolution 1108 (1997), the Council extended the mandate of the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) until 30 November 2001.

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References

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