The Spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General, Stéphane Dujarric, confirmed Thursday that the United Nations position on Western Sahara has not changed.

In response to a question about the UAE’s intention to open an alleged consulate in El Aaiun, the occupied capital of Western Sahara, the official spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General clarified that the position of the United Nations on the issue of Western Sahara has not changed and it is evident in the official reports issued by the Secretary-General of the United Nations annually.

The United Nations considers Western Sahara as a question of decolonization on its agenda since 1963 and its solution lies in enabling its people to exercise its right to self-determination and independence.