holding of a referendum in the Western Sahara (MINURSO) was established to hold the
self-determination referendum which was to enable the Saharawi people to choose
between independence and integration into Morocco. There were some difficulties,
particularly with the identification of voters, which prevented the enforcement of the
Settlement Plan.
17. The Commission at its 27th Ordinary Session held in Algiers, from 27 April to 11 May
2000 issued Resolution ACHPR/Res145( XLV) on the Western Sahara calling for the
organization of the Saharawi peoples’ referendum on self-determination in a free, fair
and regular manner, as desired by the international community.
IV.
CONDUCT OF THE MISSION
18. The delegation held meetings with various officials and organizations both in Algiers
and in the Refugee Camps near Tindouf.
19. In Algiers, the delegation met with the following: the SADR Ambassador to Algeria, H.E
Brahim Ghali; Algerian National Committee of Solidarity with the Sahrawi People
(CNASPS). The delegation also met representatives of humanitarian agencies (the
Algerian Red Crescent, the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR),
the World Food Programme (WFP), and the International Committee of the Red Cross
(ICRC). These meetings ended with the holding of two press briefings.
20. In the refugee camps near Tindouf, meetings were held with the following officials and
institutions: the Head of State and Secretary General of the Polisario Front, H.E.
Mohamed Abdelaziz; the Minister of Justice, H.E Abba Dih Sheikh; the Minister of
Education, H. E. Mariem Salek Ahamadh; the Minister of Health, H.E Mohammad
Lamine; the Minister of Culture, H.E Khadija Hamdi; the Minister of Interior, H. E.
Hamada Selma Daf; the Governors of the Wilayas of Smara and Boujdour, female
parliamentarians; the Chief Judge and judges of the Supreme Court; lawyers of the
Sahrawi Bar Association; the National Union of Sahrawi Women; the Head of the
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