Amount of Decision: EUR 8 000 000
Decision reference number: ECHO/DZA/BUD/2004/01000
Explanatory memorandum
1 - Rationale, needs and target population:
1.1. - Rationale
Morocco and the Polisario Front have been fighting over the former Spanish colony of Western Sahara since 1975. A significant proportion of the Sahrawi population is living as refugees in the Tindouf region of south-west Algeria, and is heavily dependent on international aid.
A conflict settlement plan adopted in 1991 by the UN Security Council provided for a referendum to let voters choose between independence and integration with Morocco. The plan made very little progress until 1997, when, at the instigation of James Baker, UN special envoy for the Western Sahara, the Polisario Front and Morocco signed the Houston accords.
These enabled MINURSO (United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara) to resume the task of identifying voters, which had been suspended in May 1996.
Unfortunately no breakthrough was achieved in the years that followed. In the absence of any agreement on the make-up of the electorate, and faced with 130 000 appeals, the UN proposed a variety of scenarios, none of which achieved consensus among all the parties.
The latest Baker proposal(1) is based on the framework agreement, with a somewhat altered content. The basis of this proposal (James Baker plan II) is extensive autonomy of the Sahrawis under Moroccan authority, with a referendum on self-determination to be held after 4 or 5 years. The Polisario eventually accepted this new plan, which does not completely reflect its aspirations but gives more guarantees than the previous plan. However, Morocco refused the plan because it would not provide an absolute guarantee of Morocco's sovereignty over Western Sahara. Although it stated that it was willing to discuss the plan, it remains reluctant - or refuses - to accept any self-determination that might compromise its sovereignty over Western Sahara. The most recent resolution of the Security Council extended the mandate of the MINURSO until 31 October 2004, in the hope that an agreement could be reached by then.
Most of the Sahrawi refugees left 29 years ago and are now divided into four camps in the surroundings of Tindouf, in the south-west of Algeria. The official figure is 165.000 refugees, 155.430 of whom are considered in need of humanitarian aid. This figure was extrapolated from a partial census carried out by UNHCR.
The most important and permanent needs addressed by this decision concern food supplies (basic food products) and food security (livestock farming), as well as water and sanitation (water supply and distribution of soap and hygienic kits). The length and political confusion of the situation make it an example of "forgotten crisis". That is why this Decision perfectly fits into ECHO's strategy to emphasize on this kind of crises. Within this frozen political context, and despite recent evolutions, the main aim of this Decision in favour of the Sahrawi refugees is "to meet their basic needs and enable them to live in conditions that will help create an environment conducive to a peaceful settlement of the Western Sahara conflict".
The total amount of the Decision is EUR 8 million for a period of 15 months.
Note:
(1) Presented on 23.05.03 in the general report of the SG of the UN.
