Ghali: Morocco’s Actions in Occupied Territories Amplify Climate Change Impact, Sahrawi Republic Takes Environmental Stand
BY: Hana Saada
Nairobi, Kenya – September 6, 2023 – Sahrawi President and Secretary General of the Polisario Front, Brahim Ghali, addressed the participants of the African Climate Summit in Nairobi on Tuesday, shedding light on the Sahrawi Republic’s efforts in environmental preservation while condemning Morocco’s actions in the occupied Sahrawi territories. President Ghali stressed that these illegal practices not only violate international law but also exacerbate the adverse effects of climate change.
In his keynote speech at the summit, President Ghali outlined the Sahrawi Republic’s green economy policy and its approach to combatting climate change. He underscored that his nation, which grapples with the inherent challenges of climate change, simultaneously fights vehemently to end the colonization of its territories.
“The practices of the Moroccan occupier in the occupied Sahrawi territories, carried out in violation of international law, only accentuate the impacts of climate change,” President Ghali emphasized, citing colonization, industrialization, and resource exploitation in fishing, water, and agriculture for export as primary culprits.
The infamous “Wall of Shame” erected by the Moroccan occupying army, dividing Western Sahara into two parts, severely deprives the liberated territories of the Sahrawi Republic of their access to vital water resources. President Ghali warned, “This constitutes a perilous environmental degradation that exacerbates the region’s drought conditions, resulting in profound changes to the earth’s surface, rendering it more susceptible to wind erosion and water stagnation.”
The areas adjacent to the wall, heavily mined by the occupier, have become uninhabitable, with limited economic productivity.
Faced with these daunting challenges, President Ghali urged immediate action on the ground to confront the prevailing status quo. He highlighted the Sahrawi Republic’s commitment to addressing climate change and mitigating its impacts through the development of renewable energy sources to replace fossil fuels.
President Ghali further revealed pilot projects aimed at electrifying the liberated Sahrawi territories using solar and wind energy, including solar-powered water pumps designed to preserve precious animal and agricultural resources. Additionally, the Sahrawi Republic is working on implementing solar energy systems to bolster medical facilities in remote areas.
President Ghali expressed his concern about the United Nations’ delay in completing the decolonization process in Western Sahara, the last colony in Africa. He stated, “This should not hinder the Sahrawi Republic’s full participation in international efforts to combat climate change and its destructive consequences.” He characterized the denial of financing and technical support to his country for tackling the climate crisis as “unconscionable.”
During the summit, President Ghali passionately advocated for his country’s right and responsibility to join forces with Africa and the global community in the battle for survival against climate change. He offered the Sahrawi Republic’s decades-long experience of coexisting in challenging climatic conditions with other peoples and nations as a valuable resource in this fight.
