NEW YORK (UN) – The Permanent Representative of the Republic of Peru to the United Nations (UN), Luis Ugarelli Basurto affirmed that his country, adopting anti-colonialism as a state policy, firmly supports the decolonisation of Western Sahara, the Sahrawi News Agency (SPS) reported.
The representative, who spoke before the Fourth Committee on Special Political Questions and Decolonisation, recalled the recent position of his country, which affirmed its recognition of the Saharawi Republic.
This position “is in keeping with Peru’s conviction that the conflict in Western Sahara should be resolved in accordance with the relevant resolutions of the General Assembly and the Security Council, in particular resolution 1514, which allowed several countries, including Peru, to put an end to the colonial presence in their countries.
Peru also showed its support for UN efforts in the decolonisation of Western Sahara, underlining its support for the 1991 UN-Africa settlement plan, but also for the peace efforts of the UN SG Personal Envoy, Staffan de Mistura.
In this regard, Ugarelli affirmed that his country “contributes, by supporting the consultations of Mr Staffan de Mistura, to the implementation of dialogue and negotiations between the two parties to the conflict, namely the Saharawi Republic and the Kingdom of Morocco”.
The Peruvian President, Pedro Castillo Terrones, reaffirmed at the United Nations the re-establishment of diplomatic relations between his country and the Saharawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR), as well as the support of Peru for the right of the Saharawi people to self-determination.
“Peru has re-established diplomatic relations with the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic and firmly supports its right to self-determination. We give our broad support to the actions undertaken by the UN Secretary-General’s representative (Staffan de Mistura) to re-establish the ceasefire in Western Sahara and promote a negotiated and peaceful solution,” he said in his speech to the UN General Assembly.
Peru re-established diplomatic relations with the Saharawi Republic on 8 September 2021.
The Peruvian Ministry of Foreign Affairs had “reaffirmed the sovereign will of the government of Peru to resume diplomatic relations with the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic, in accordance with official communiqué No. 017-2021 of 8 September 2021”, reiterating “the right to self-determination of the Sahrawi people, in accordance with United Nations General Assembly Resolution 1514, the universal principles and postulates contained in the United Nations Charter and respect for international law”.
Peru had recognised SADR in 1984, during the mandate of President Fernando Belaunde, before ceasing relations with SADR 12 years later, under Alberto Kenia Fujimori (1996).
At the time, Fujimori, influenced by his adviser Vladimiro Montesino, who supported the Makhzen thesis, took this decision in exchange for an economic contribution, according to Peruvian sources in Lima.
