Colonised or oppressed peoples shall have the right to free themselves from the bonds of domination by resorting to any means recognized by the international community. All peoples shall have the right to the assistance of the State Parties to the present Charter in their liberation struggle against foreign domination, be it political, economic or cultural.” 26. The African Union and the United Nations have recognized the right of the Sahrawi people to this inalienable right in the resolutions and decisions outlined above. However, in their struggle for self-determination for almost four decades running, the Sahrawi people generally feel let down by the African Union and the international Community. While appreciating the support of some African Countries, many stakeholders the delegation interacted with pointed out the need for a more active involvement of the African Union as a whole in order to find a speedy and acceptable resolution to the conflict. It was brought to the attention of the delegation that the situation in Western Sahara and the immense suffering of the Sahrawi people seems to have been forgotten and relegated to the background. 27. In the various meetings and discussions the delegation held with some of the stakeholders, the protracted nature of the situation in occupied Western Sahara with endless negotiations that have not resulted in any tangible solution to the conflict was a major concern which they feared could lead to frustrations and loss of patience, with disastrous consequences for the Sahrawi population. 28. There have been continuous delays in holding the envisaged referendum that will constitute a free and genuine exercise of the right of the Sahrawi People to selfdetermination. The reasons for the continued delay in holding the referendum were attributed to obstructions from Morocco and its allies in the UN Security Council, who have been persistently delaying and blocking the process. The delegation was informed 8|Page