United Nations Special Political and Decolonization Committee (SPECPOL)

Agenta Item:

The Western Sahara Issue and the Oppression Faced by the Local Population

The Western Sahara conflict, located in North Africa, is one of the longest-standing territorial disputes in modern history, involving Morocco, the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR), and the indigenous Sahrawi people. The region has been at the center of a conflict that has led to widespread displacement, human rights violations, and a lack of political self-determination for the Sahrawi people. At the core of the problem lies the issue of self-governance for the Sahrawi people, who have been subjected to oppression, displacement, and discrimination. In the occupied territories, the Sahrawi population has faced numerous human rights abuses such as arbitrary detention, restrictions on freedom of expression, and denial of access to justice and basic rights. While many Sahrawis continue to live in refugee camps, others remain under Moroccan control in what human rights organizations have described as a prolonged state of statelessness. This agenda aims to address the urgent need for a fair, lasting, and peaceful resolution to the Western Sahara conflict, focusing in particular on ending the suffering of the Sahrawi people. It calls for international cooperation to ensure respect for human rights, facilitate the right to self-determination, and promote a peaceful solution to a conflict that has affected generations. In researching this issue, it is crucial to analyze the historical context, current realities, and potential pathways toward a just solution that upholds the dignity and rights of the Sahrawi people.