Question of Spanish Sahara

XXIV. RESOLUTIONS ADOPTED ON THE REPORTS OF THE FOURTH COMMITTEE
2591. Question of Spanish Sahara

The General Assembly, Having examined the chapter of the report of the Special Committee on the Situation with regard to the Implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples relating to the Territory of the so-called Spanish Sahara,[1] Recalling its resolution 1514 (XV) of 14 December 1960 containing the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples, Recalling also the decision concerning the Territories under Spanish administration taken by the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the Organization of African Unity at its third ordinary session, held at Addis Ababa from 5 to 9 November 1966, Reaffirming its resolutions 2072 (XX) of 16 December 1965, 2229 (XXI) of 20 December 1966, 2354 (XXII) of 19 December 1967 and 2428 (XXIII) of 18 December 1968,

1. Reaffirms the inalienable right of the people of the so-called Spanish Sahara to self-determination in accordance with General Assembly resolution 1514 (XV);

2. Approves the chapter of the report of the Special Committee on the Situation with regard to the Implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples relating to the Territory of the so-called Spanish Sahara;

3. Regrets that it has not yet been possible for the consultations to take place which the administering Power was to conduct in connexion with the holding of a referendum in the so-called Spanish Sahara;

4. Again invites the administering Power to determine at the earliest possible date, in conformity with the aspirations of the indigenous people of the so-called Spanish Sahara and in consultation with the Governments of Mauritania and Morocco and any other interested party, the procedures for the holding of a referendum under United Nations auspices with a view to enabling the indigenous population of the Territory to exercise freely its right to self-determination and, to this end:

(a) To create a favourable climate for the referendum to be conducted on an entirely free, democratic and impartial basis by permitting, inter alia, the return of exiles to the Territory;

(b) To take all the necessary steps to ensure that only the indigenous people of the Territory participate in the referendum;

(c) To comply with the resolutions of the General Assembly on the activities of foreign economic and other interests operating in colonial countries and Territories and to refrain from any action likely to delay the process of the decolonization of the so-called Spanish Sahara;

(d) To provide all the necessary facilities to a United Nations mission so that it may be able to participate actively in the organization and holding of the referendum;

5. Requests the Secretary-General, in consultation with the administering Power and the Special Committee, to appoint immediately the special mission provided for in paragraph 5 of General Assembly resolution 2229 (XXI) and to expedite its dispatch to the so-called Spanish Sahara for the purpose of recommending practical steps for the full implementation of the relevant General Assembly resolutions, and in particular for determining the extent of United Nations participation in the preparation and supervision of the referendum and submitting a report to the Secretary-General for transmission to the General Assembly at its twenty-fifth session;

6. Requests the Special Committee to continue its consideration of the situation in the Territory of the so-called Spanish Sahara and to report thereon to the General Assembly at its twenty-fifth session.

1835th plenary meeting,
16 December 1969.

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[1] Ibid., Twenty-fourth Session, Supplement No. 23 (A/ 7623/Rev.1), chapter X.