Johannesburg
(South Africa), the second ordinary period of sessions of the Pan-African
Parliament begins with the presence of the Special Envoy of the African Union
for Western Sahara, Joaquim Alberto Chissano, together with the Vice-President
of the Republic of Sierra Leone, as guests of honor meeting, as well as
Ministers of the Government of South Africa and of the accredited diplomatic
corps.
The
opening ceremony started with the playing of the anthem of the Pan-African
Parliament, followed by a recitation of the program of the course by the
President of the Pan-African Parliament, Roger Ankodo Dang, allowing new
members to take office after the oath, to make way for the speeches and
messages of solidarity.
The
opening day stands by the speech of the Special Envoy to the Western Sahara,
Joaquim Alberto Chissano, which comprised a review historical archive from the
Spanish colonial era through the internationalist Moroccan invasion of
resolution on the subject and the subsequent sequels, expressing his regret for
the continuation of the illegal Moroccan occupation of Western Sahara.
Chissano
said from the beginning: "I would like to begin my speech to point out
what many overlook on the African political landscape that has changed a lot,
with the day that Africa seeks to achieve the dream of their peoples in the
construction and building integrated, Africa United and prosperous forcing his
voice on the international scene, but it is sad to note after he defeated
racial apartheid one of our countries, namely Morocco, that we are fighting by
his side for the independence, prosperity and freedom, continues the occupation
of the land that was the subject of the Spanish colonization and refuses to
respond to the right of the Sahrawi people to self-determination.
the
opening also featured press conferences of the President of the African
Parliament, Roger Ankodo Dang, the Vice-President of the Republic of Sierra
Leone and Joaquim Alberto Chissano, Special Envoy of the African Western
Sahara, that Union in response to a question from the journalist Jean-Jacques
Cornish, radio 702 of South Africa, on the subject of the referendum in Western
Sahara He replied:
:
"referendum in Western Sahara do not need discussion, because all parties,
the front,"
the United
Nations and the Security Council have agreed to it". In the territory of
Western Sahara is "MINURSO", the United Nations Mission for the
Referendum in Western Sahara, which is still the main objective of its
existence. The people of Western Sahara must decide their own fate through a
referendum, and should be consulted if you want independence or to join Morocco
or want a broad autonomy.
POLISARIO
and the Kingdom of Morocco, the African Union
So
everyone wins, including Morocco, I do not see any reason to be afraid of a
referendum, especially if all parties say that they know the will of the
Sahrawi people, then why afraid of Morocco to the outcome of the referendum
".
The second
session of the PAP will continue until May 13 and will discuss several issues:
human rights, with emphasis on women's rights, continental strategies in
science and technology and educational innovation and technical vocational
training and safety education, food and nutrition in Africa, the policies of
the African Union on education in Africa, as well as climate change.
It should
be noted that Joaquim Alberto Chissano, Special Envoy of the African Union to
the Western Sahara, was received in audience by the VicePresident of the PAP
Suelma Beiruk
The
session of the Pan-African Parliament will also organize a seminar on human
rights in the occupied part of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic and the
systematic looting of natural resources in the territory occupied by Morocco
with the complicity of foreign companies .
