Petition to the UK Government and the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office: Use Your UN Security Council Position to Uphold International Law and Support the People of Western Sahara.

We, the undersigned members of the British Public, call upon the UK Government and FCDO to take a principled stand for justice, international law, and human rights by taking concrete, urgent action using the UK’s position on the UN Security Council to support the Saharawi people’s right to self-determination and end the illegal occupation of Western Sahara.

Specifically, we demand the UK Government:

-Champion Self-Determination
 Publicly call for the long-overdue UN-mandated referendum for self determination for Western Sahara, as pledged under the 1991 UN Settlement Plan (Resolution 690).

-End the Illegal Occupation
 Condemn Morocco’s ongoing occupation of Western Sahara, ruled illegal by   the International Court of Justice (1975), and demand its immediate   withdrawal.

-Lead Global Accountability
 Press for the United Nations to implement—without further delay—the         referendum of self determination, and rally EU and UNSC partners to prioritise   decolonisation, per UN Resolution 1514 (1960).

Why This Matters:

Western Sahara is Africa’s last colony, a region whose people have been denied their right to self-determination for half a century. In 2025, we mark 50 years of Moroccan occupation, and 50 years of international inaction. This lack of political will has caused the Saharawi people to endure:  

Violent Repression: Amnesty International, and other human rights watchdogs,report systemic torture, forced disappearances, and suppression of peaceful dissent. Freedom house for instance ranks territories out of 100 for human rights and freedom, occupied Western Sahara scores just 4/100 and the bottom eighth in the world. See a breakdown here.

Resource exploitation: The Moroccan regime profits from illegal phosphate mining and fisheries, whilst Sahrawi refugees face dire conditions.

International Failure: The UN has delayed the referendum on self determination for 34 years, emboldening the occupation.

The United Kingdom—as a permanent member of the UN Security Council—has a legal and moral duty to act. Silence, whilst wielding the power to take action, is complicity.

We Demand Leadership, Not Complicity.

It is time for the UK to stand on the side of international law, justice, and basic human dignity. By signing this petition, we—the British Public—, urge the UK to:

Honour its commitment to international law.
Protect Saharawi human rights.
End 50 years of colonial injustice.

 

The time for action is now. The people of Western Sahara have waited long enough.

To learn about Western Sahara please see here.

 

This petition was set by Western Sahara Campaign UK