NUM rejects Donald Trump's December 11 proclamations to recognise Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara

Press Statement, 17 December 2020

The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) rejects outgoing US President Donald Trump’s December. 11 proclamations that the United States would recognize Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara marked yet another lowest point for his administration.

Trump’s decision to throw the Sahrawi people under the bus ditches three decades of U.S. support for their self-determination via a referendum of the Sahrawi people on the territory’s future status. The NUM calls on US President-elect Joe Biden to reverse Trump's reckless and unnecessary decision. From the perspective of U.S. policy, the best outcome would be for Biden, once inaugurated, to reverse Trump’s pathetic move.

Donald Trump has hastily pushed for the normalization of the relationship between Morocco and Israel in return of US recognizing Morocco’s sovereignty over Western Sahara against international resolutions at the United Nations and the African Union which recognizes Westen Sahara’s right to self-determination and sovereignty. Donald Trump has again shown his disregard and disrespect for multilateralism.

In making his rash decision, Trump consulted neither the Polisario Front which has long represented the Sahrawis—nor Algeria and Mauritania, the most concerned neighbouring countries, nor anyone else.

The NUM calls on the United Nations and African Union to reject these with the contempt it deserves. The sovereignty and right to self-determination cannot be decided by a loser who has gone berserk trying to please his friends in Israel. NUM like all like-minded progressive organizations will continue to support the struggle of the people of Western Sahara for self-determination and independence.

Patrick Mathebane, NUM International Relations Unit Head, 079 513 8764

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