Response to interpellation 2023/24:607 on Western Sahara
Translated from Swedish by AI; the translation may contain errors. The Swedish text is the original.
Summary AI, written in advance
The debate concerns the status of Western Sahara and human rights. M argues that the status can only be determined through a just, sustainable, and mutually acceptable negotiated solution in accordance with international law 1 2. M supports UN envoy Staffan de Mistura's efforts 1 and welcomes that the envoy is allowed to visit sites within his mandate 3. M supports the UN mission Minurso and its work in preparing a referendum 4. M expects Swedish companies to act responsibly 1 and follow OECD guidelines as well as the UN's guiding principles 2. V considers Morocco's occupation to be illegal 5 and demands that the international community put harder pressure on Morocco for a referendum 5. V wants clearer guidelines for Swedish companies' investments on occupied land 5 6. V believes that the government needs a clearer position on Western Sahara's independence 6. V hopes that Sweden can take the lead in putting harder pressure on Morocco 6. V believes that Sweden could contribute to strengthening the position of the Western Saharawis by recognizing Western Sahara according to the parliamentary decision from 2012 6.
Written by AI in advance and may contain errors. The numbers lead to the speech a statement builds on; check against the text below.
Utrikesministern Tobias Billström (M)
Madam Speaker! Lotta Johnsson Fornarve has asked me if I will take the initiative so that the UN envoy Staffan de Mistura can carry out his mission to guarantee Western Sahara's right to independence and freedom, if Sweden will act so that a referendum on Western Sahara will take place, and if I intend to work so that the UN force MINURSO is tasked with monitoring human rights.
Furthermore, Johnsson Fornarve has asked me if I intend to ensure that clear Swedish guidelines are developed for companies advising against investing in occupied territory in accordance with international law, and if I will ensure that Sweden stands by previous positions regarding that trade agreements between the EU and Morocco should not include the occupied Western Sahara.
I want to emphasize that the government's view is that the question of Western Sahara's status can only be resolved through a just, sustainable, and mutually acceptable negotiated solution in accordance with international law, including the UN Security Council resolutions. A political solution to the Western Sahara issue would be positive for both the stability and the economic development in the region.
A referendum on Western Sahara's status has not been able to be held because the parties have not been able to agree on who should have the right to participate in such a referendum. The Government supports the UN envoy Staffan de Mistura's efforts to achieve a political solution to the Western Sahara issue within the framework of the UN-led process. I met him personally in March last year and underscored our support for the process.
Regarding the question of MINURSO's mandate, it can be noted that previous initiatives from members of the UN Security Council to expand the mandate with an MR component have not found support in the UN Security Council. It is positive that UN Security Council resolution 2703 (2023) on the renewed mandate for MINURSO emphasizes the importance of improving the human rights situation in Western Sahara and the refugee camps in Tindouf.
Many Swedish companies are actively working to contribute to the global goals for sustainable development in Agenda 2030 and have committed to following the fundamental principles of the UN Global Compact. The Government has a clear expectation for Swedish companies to act sustainably and responsibly by working for human rights, equality, good working conditions, the environment, climate, and the fight against corruption.
Companies' activities shall not cause, contribute to, or be linked to abuses or violations of human rights regardless of where they operate. This applies, of course, also in Western Sahara. Companies shall comply with prevailing laws, but the government also assumes that Swedish companies take international guidelines into account.
Regarding the issue of the EU's trade agreement with Morocco, the result of an ongoing EU legal process with implications for trade in relation to Western Sahara is awaited. The European Court of Justice's judgment is expected to be delivered during the autumn of 2024.
The Government intends to continue to work towards a just, sustainable and mutually acceptable negotiated solution to the question of Western Sahara's status, in accordance with international law including the UN Security Council resolutions. Our embassy in Rabat repeatedly travels to Western Sahara and meets, among other things, representatives from Minurso and civil society organizations. The embassy in Algiers also regularly visits the refugee camps in Tindouf.
Sweden is one of the largest donors of core funding to the World Food Program and UNHCR, which are the two largest UN agencies with operations in the refugee camps in Tindouf. Sweden's humanitarian support to the camps, in addition, amounts to 10 million kronor for 2024 and is channeled through Sida.
Lotta Johnsson Fornarve (V)
Madam Speaker! Thank you, Minister for Foreign Affairs, for the answer to my interpellation!
In the shadow of the wars in Ukraine and Gaza, Morocco's illegal occupation of Western Sahara, which has now lasted for 49 years, continues. It is an occupation that violates international law and the will of the UN and which has been tested by the International Court of Justice in The Hague.
In connection with Morocco's war of aggression, a large part of the Western Saharawis were forced into flight to refugee camps in the Sahara Desert, where they still live under difficult conditions. It is 90 percent who suffer from food shortages, and every tenth child suffers from acute malnutrition. The need for assistance is acute.
The Uyghurs living in the occupied part of the country are subjected to constant harassment and persecution. Amnesty International highlights in its annual report several cases of torture, rape, and isolation of peaceful protesters. Demonstrations are bloodily suppressed, and activists are monitored through spy tools such as the controversial Pegasus.
The situation has worsened further after the ceasefire was broken by Morocco in November 2020. It was a ceasefire that was concluded in 1990 after the parties, namely Polisario and Morocco, agreed to hold a UN-led referendum on the country's independence. It is a referendum that has not yet taken place due to Morocco's sabotage.
It is good that the Minister emphasizes that Sweden stands up for international law and respects the UN process, but I do not hear the Minister say that he stands up for Western Sahara's right to self-determination. That is, so to speak, the core.
Western Sahara is illegally occupied by Morocco and has a right to independence. It is Morocco that has sabotaged the situation so that the referendum has not been able to be held, and they have continued to sabotage. Now it is required that the international community puts significantly harder pressure on the occupying power so that the promised referendum can take place. I hope that the government acts more actively in the EU and in the UN but also in bilateral contacts with France, Spain and not least Morocco. It is high time that the world's last colony finally gets its freedom.
When it comes to MINURSO's mandate, it should be a good opportunity to once again raise the issue after the UN representative for Western Sahara finally visited the occupied part of the country. It is at least remarkable that MINURSO, as the only UN force, does not have the right to monitor human rights.
Another clear example of how Morocco tries to complicate the process for Western Sahara's independence is that they are utilizing their new presidency of the UN Human Rights Council to justify their illegal occupation, something that proves how inappropriate the choice of presiding country was. The question is: Has Sweden opposed Morocco's presidency? It should not be possible for an occupying power to hold the position of chair of the UN Human Rights Council, and Morocco is a country that systematically violates precisely those human rights.
It is good that the Swedish ambassadors in Algeria and Morocco visit the camps and the occupied part of Western Sahara. It would be of great interest to be able to receive the reports from the visits.
The international community has so far failed in its mission. Morocco's occupation and looting of the country's raw materials can continue - a looting that is the root cause of the occupation. The Minister responds that he relies on Swedish companies following principles and rules. That is of course good, but there are actually examples of Swedish companies having invested in the occupied Western Sahara. Therefore, clearer guidelines are needed for what applies to investments in occupied territory.
Utrikesministern Tobias Billström (M)
Madam Speaker! For Sweden's security and the stability of the world around us, it is crucial that the rules-based world order, international law, and respect for the UN Charter are upheld. It does not matter whether it is Ukraine or some other country we are talking about. It applies, therefore, of course, also in relation to Western Sahara.
Western Sahara is a decolonization issue within the UN; on that, Lotta Johnsson Fornarve and I are in complete agreement. The International Court of Justice adopted an advisory opinion on the status of the territory in 1975. This means that the international community does not recognize Morocco's claims of sovereignty over the territory. Sweden and the EU continue to support a just, sustainable, and mutually acceptable negotiated solution regarding Western Sahara in accordance with international law, including the UN Security Council's resolutions.
This is also something that I raise in my bilateral contacts with both Morocco and Algeria. The UN envoy for Western Sahara, Staffan de Mistura, has an important task in this regard, and as previously mentioned, the government supports his efforts to achieve a political solution.
Like Lotta Johnsson Fornarve, I also believe that the UN envoy should be free to visit the countries and places he wishes to within the framework of his mandate. That the envoy continuously carries out informal and bilateral consultations with various actors, including visits to the region, is something that the Swedish government welcomes, and it constitutes an important part of the mission. Another important part of the mission consists of the messages he sends that all involved parties have a responsibility for progress to be made in the process towards a political solution.
As part of supporting Mistura's important work and mission, he was invited during the Swedish presidency of the EU last May to Stockholm to meet representatives from all EU member states, who had gathered for a meeting on the Middle East and North Africa, including the situation in Western Sahara. It was an important opportunity for a longer discussion and exchange of thoughts and experiences regarding the situation in Western Sahara.
I myself had the opportunity to meet Staffan de Mistura a few months earlier during his visit to Stockholm. de Mistura, with over 40 years of experience in the diplomatic service, shared the experiences of his mission and his valuable knowledge about the situation on the ground and about the situation for the Western Saharans. Then, just over a year ago, I conveyed the same message as I do in this chamber today, namely that Sweden continues to support the UN's work for a solution to the Western Sahara issue based on international law, including the UN Security Council's resolutions. This bears repeating.
Lotta Johnsson Fornarve (V)
Madam Speaker! Thank you, Foreign Minister, for the clarification!
I agree with much of what the Foreign Minister is saying now. But I do not hear the Minister saying that Western Sahara has a right to self-determination. I would like to hear the Minister express that, because it is incredibly important. It is this that this whole process is about.
I am also completely convinced that Staffan de Mistura is the right person for the assignment. But it is a very difficult assignment, because Morocco is so tricky to deal with. It is Morocco, not Polisario, that has constantly sabotaged a referendum, and they continue to sabotage. It is also Morocco that has broken the ceasefire. A low-intensity war is currently taking place in the area, something that actually no one desires. It is therefore Morocco that one must put pressure on. One must be clear about that.
Morocco is a brutal occupying power, which is also confirmed by Human Rights Watch, which has documented several cases of assault on activists on the street or in detention and also trials with false accusations against activists that have led to long prison sentences. Steven Zunes, a professor of politics at the University of San Francisco who is currently visiting Sweden, says: "I have been to many countries, but never seen a worse police state than Morocco-occupied Western Sahara."
Morocco's occupation of Western Sahara is just as illegal as Russia's occupation of parts of Ukraine or Israel's occupation of Palestine. An enormous responsibility rests on the international community to contribute to resolving the conflict. I truly hope that Sweden can take an even more active role in that work.
Western Sahara's vast natural resources, primarily phosphate and fish, are one of the main reasons for Morocco's occupation of the country. For decades, the enormous profits from the sale of Western Saharan natural resources have ended up in Moroccan pockets.
The European Court of Justice has, over the years in several separate judgments, established that the EU cannot allow Western Saharan goods to be included in the trade agreement between the EU and Morocco. The simple reason is that Western Sahara does not belong to Morocco and that Morocco therefore has no right to Western Sahara's raw materials. Despite these judgments, the EU has chosen to ignore its own court's decision and allowed the illegal theft of Western Saharan goods to continue. European fishing boats have been able to continue draining the Western Saharan coast of fish.
Sweden has, however, actually stood up for international law here and as the only country voted no to the fishing agreement, and that is honorable. I really hope that Sweden sticks to this principled and clear position that the EU should not enter into agreements with Morocco that include occupied Western Sahara.
Swedish companies and investors should not contribute to looting or investing in occupied Western Sahara in a way that contributes to legitimizing the occupation, but unfortunately, we have seen that there have been investors and companies - I do not want to mention names - that have actually invested in occupied Western Sahara. Norway has developed clear guidelines for companies and investors to clarify what applies to Western Sahara. I think it would be very good if Sweden could develop similar clear guidelines clarifying that it violates international law to invest on occupied land.
I also hope that Sweden can lead more clearly so that the UN and the EU act with force against Morocco and ensure that the promised referendum takes place, as well as that one also acts powerfully in the UN so that MINURSO gets the right to speak with the Western Saharan population in the occupied part of Western Sahara and document human rights violations. They are not allowed to do that at the moment.
Utrikesministern Tobias Billström (M)
Madam Speaker! Yes, it is entirely correct as the interpellor says that the situation on the ground in Western Sahara is characterized by tensions and a low intensity of hostility between Morocco and Polisario.
The UN mission MINURSO has since 1991 had an important mandate to prepare a referendum on Western Sahara's independence or incorporation into Morocco. Sweden supports MINURSO's work. This week, our embassy in Rabat, together with representatives from UD, conducted a visit to Western Sahara. They met, among others, representatives for MINURSO to observe on-site what the conditions are like on the ground.
The security situation in parts of Western Sahara is poor. There are violations of human rights. Freedom of expression, freedom of assembly and demonstration, and the right to privacy are restricted. Journalists are particularly affected, and arbitrary detentions occur. The situation is, in other words, worrying.
At the same time, MINURSO's important work continues, and even though the situation on the ground has improved, there is a risk of escalation. In MINURSO's mandate, the importance of improving the situation for human rights in Western Sahara and in the refugee camps in Tindouf is emphasized, and that is something the government welcomes.
Sweden continues to be a strong voice and actor for democracy and human freedoms and rights and is engaged in the international work to promote the protection of defenders of these rights. In the latest report on Western Sahara from the UN Secretary-General, there is information that the office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights has not been able to carry out visits to Western Sahara. This is regrettable.
Independent and impartial information gathering is necessary to monitor the situation regarding human rights in Western Sahara, and it is important that the parties cooperate with the international community to guarantee that human rights are respected, based on the parties' obligations under international law.
Regarding the situation in the refugee camps, I can mention that our embassy in Algiers participated in the UN refugee agency, UNHCR's, donor visit to these camps in November last year. The situation for the refugees is very difficult. There are very high air temperatures and a lack of water. The possibilities for livelihood are poor. The Middle East and North Africa is, as is known, one of the most vulnerable regions when it comes to increased temperatures and drought. Increased climate impact affects, among other things, food, energy, and water supply negatively.
The increased food prices in the world, as a result of the covid-19 pandemic and Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine, have hindered the possibilities for UNHCR to provide sufficient support within the framework of the funds that the UN disposes over.
Furthermore, dependence on humanitarian aid is assessed to persist in the absence of a solution to the conflict, which only further underscores the need for this to be achieved. Sweden's core contributions to the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, and to the UN food program, World Food Programme, are important, as is our humanitarian support to the refugee camps in Tindouf in Algeria. It is ultimately about meeting basic needs in a very difficult environment.
Lotta Johnsson Fornarve (V)
Madam Speaker! Thank you, Minister, for further answers! I think much of what the Minister says is actually very wise, and I agree with much of it. But I want an even clearer position on whether the government really stands up for Western Sahara's independence. I would like to hear the Minister express that. Then I request the reports from the embassies regarding the visits to both occupied Western Sahara and the refugee camps.
Just like the minister, I have a deep concern for the situation in the Western Saharan refugee camps. It is, as I said earlier, acute. Now I am a little worried that the aid will decrease given that Sweden is reducing aid to the UN's core activities. It is worrying. But that is a different debate, I believe.
When it comes to Swedish companies' investments in occupied territory, it is obvious that clearer guidelines would be needed. Many companies are also requesting this. They want to do the right thing. We would need guidelines similar to those that Norway has to clarify what applies to investments in occupied territory.
I truly hope that Sweden stands up in even clearer ways in the UN and in the EU and fights for Western Sahara's right to self-determination and for the referendum that was agreed upon as far back as 1990 finally takes place. Sweden could lead the way. It is about us putting harder pressure on Morocco, because it is necessary, and that we act even more clearly so that Minurso gets the right to monitor human rights.
We could also contribute to strengthening the position of the Western Saharawis by recognizing Western Sahara according to the decision taken in the Riksdag in 2012. It would be a great success for the Western Saharawis.
In 1975, there were two European colonies remaining: Portugal's East Timor and Spain's Spanish Sahara. East Timor gained its independence in 1999, but Western Sahara is still waiting. A very heavy responsibility rests on the international community to resolve the conflict, and Sweden can play an important role.
Utrikesministern Tobias Billström (M)
Madam Speaker! Thank you, the interpellator Lotta Johnsson Fornarve, for a good debate! Let me return to the question of trade in relation to Western Sahara.
Swedish companies have a strong commitment to sustainability, equality, and social responsibility. In the new foreign trade strategy, which was decided in December last year, the Government is clear that Swedish companies are expected to follow the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises and the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. The UN has also developed important guidance on how companies should act in particularly difficult contexts, including conflict zones. This includes conflicts such as the one in Western Sahara. These guidelines are clear, and the Government expects Swedish companies to follow them.
The Government is also following the ongoing EU legal process regarding trade in relation to Western Sahara. The issue concerns, as we know, the agricultural and fisheries partnership agreements between Morocco and the EU which in previous judgments have been declared invalid for reasons of international law, with reference to deficiencies in ensuring the consent of the Western Saharan people. The judgments have been appealed, and a new judgment is expected during the autumn. Sweden, like the rest of the EU, will of course study the judgment carefully when it arrives and then take a position on it.
Madam Speaker! Let me conclude by repeating that the government continues to support a just, sustainable and mutually acceptable negotiated solution to the issue of Western Sahara in accordance with international law, including the UN Security Council resolutions. It is the government's clear policy in this area.
Source: The Swedish Parliament. The speeches come from the open data of the Riksdag, translated into English by AI, which may contain errors.