President,

I have the honour to speak on behalf of the European Union and its Member States.

The Candidate Countries North Macedonia*, Montenegro*, Serbia*, Albania* and the Republic of Moldova, the country of the Stabilisation and Association Process and potential candidate Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the EFTA country Norway, member of the European Economic Area, align themselves with this statement.

We look forward to the consensual adoption of the resolution on the situation concerning Western Sahara.

We welcome the commitment of the Secretary-General to relaunch the negotiating process with a new dynamic and a new spirit leading to the resumption of a political process with the aim to achieve a just, lasting and mutually acceptable political solution, which will provide for the self‑determination of the people of Western Sahara in the context of arrangements consistent with the principles and purposes of the Charter of the United Nations. We continue to encourage the parties to work towards such a solution, within the framework of the United Nations.

We fully support the work undertaken by Staffan de Mistura and his engagement in his efforts to relaunch negotiations to achieve a just, lasting and mutually acceptable political solution and for the close cooperation he has with the European Union. We also encourage all the parties to engage in a cooperative search for a solution in accordance with the Security Council resolutions and the principles and purposes of the Charter of the United Nations.  

We are grateful for the work of Alexander Ivanko as Special Representative of the Secretary‑General for Western Sahara and Head of MINURSO and we support him in this capacity.

The adoption of UNSCR 2602 (2021), which expressed full support to the Secretary-General and his proposal to relaunch the political process, and which reiterated the call upon all parties to cooperate fully with MINURSO was very welcome and we look forward to its renewal. We fully support the meaningful participation of women and youth in the political process.  

We encourage the parties to continue to show political will and work in an atmosphere propitious for dialogue in order to enter into the next phase of negotiations in good faith, without preconditions and taking note of efforts and developments since 2006, thus ensuring implementation of Security Council resolutions 1754, 1783, 1813, 1871, 1920, 1979 2044, 2099, 2152, 2218, 2285, 2351, 2414, 2468, 2494, 2548 and 2602, as well as the success of negotiations. It is important that the parties demonstrate further political will towards a solution.

We note with deep concern insufficient funding for those living in Tindouf refugee camps and urge the international community to provide new and additional voluntary contributions. We support the Security Council request that UNHCR maintain its consideration of a refugee registration in the Tindouf refugee camps.

We encourage the parties to further collaborate with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in the implementation of confidence building measures (CBM). We welcome the progress made in the past on the issue of the CBM, as we are convinced that progress on these issues could help to improve the atmosphere for the political process.

We remain concerned about the implications of the Western Sahara conflict for security and cooperation in the region.

I thank you.

* North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia and Albania continue to be part of the Stabilisation and Association Process.