The Sahrawi people have secured another diplomatic and political milestone in their ongoing campaign for self-determination and sovereignty. Convened on the fringes of the 114th session of the International Labour Organization (ILO), the 6th edition of the Trade Union Solidarity Forum with Latin American Labor Organizations, hosted in Geneva, Switzerland, served as a pivotal platform for amplifying international backing for Sahrawi rights.
Through this summit, global endorsement for the righteous struggle championed by the Polisario Front—the sole legitimate representative of the Sahrawi population—was solemnly reaffirmed.
Gathering under the banner of “United America,” the forum evolved into an international stage for condemning the Moroccan occupation, alongside its crackdowns and persistent hostilities against Sahrawi civilians. Attendees utilized the venue to denounce the blockade policies, displacement, and forced exile inflicted upon Sahrawi laborers and the indigenous community within the occupied territories of Western Sahara.
A Sahrawi delegation actively engaged in the deliberations and panel sessions during this labor summit, underscoring the standing of the Sahrawi state within international worker federations. Led by the Secretary-General of the General Union of Sahrawi Workers (UGTSARIO), Nafee Ahmed Mohamed, the delegation focused its address on the political and legal architecture of their national cause amid shifting global hurdles. He decried current infractions against international jurisprudence and core tenets of justice, which compound the difficulties confronting legitimate liberation movements.
The conference drew to a close with attendees renewing their pledge to uphold the Sahrawi people’s right to self-determination and absolute territorial sovereignty. They concluded that the worldwide labor struggle is deeply intertwined with the broader human quest for liberty and dignity. Notable among the prominent backers were the General Confederation of Portuguese Workers (CGTP), the Galician Inter-Union Confederation (Ciga-Spain), and the Basque unions (ELA and Lab), all of whom voiced staunch support for the Sahrawi resistance.
Concurrently in Geneva, the UGTSARIO coordinated a separate solidarity gathering featuring various trade union and labor contingents participating in the 114th ILO Conference. This meeting was attended by Najat Hendi, the Polisario Front’s representative to Switzerland and international organizations.
The Sahrawi diplomat provided a comprehensive update on recent shifts surrounding the Western Sahara issue relative to the current geopolitical climate, reiterating her people’s resolve to reclaim their legitimate rights to freedom and independence.
She further urged an intensification of global efforts to ensure the Sahrawi population can exercise its inalienable and permanent right to self-determination.
For their part, the delegates praised the initiative, stressing that high-level assemblies of this nature are vital not only for raising awareness about the Sahrawi cause but also for broadening the scope of inter-union solidarity with their struggle.