Polisario supporters in Europe to meet in Portugal

On November 29 and 30, the Polisario is set to hold the 48th edition of the «European Conference of Solidarity and Support for the Saharawi People (EUCOCO)» in Portugal. This traditional gathering of Polisario supporters in Europe has moved from Spain to its western neighbor this year. The Spanish city of Toledo hosted the last EUCOCO, which was marked by the presence of a large Algerian delegation, including 24 members of parliament.

At that time, Algeria pledged to expand the network of Polisario solidarity associations to other continents, specifically Africa and South America. This ambition was voiced in Toledo by Salah Goudjil, the President of the Council of the Nation (the upper house of the Algerian Parliament).

This year’s event comes at a time when the Moroccan autonomy plan for the Sahara has gained new support in Europe, including in Finland, Malta, and Bulgaria.

Portugal backs the Moroccan autonomy initiative, presented in 2007, viewing it «as a realistic, serious, and credible proposal for a solution within the framework of the United Nations». This position was reaffirmed on May 12, 2023, by the Portuguese government during the 14th Morocco-Portugal High-Level Meeting in Lisbon.

In Portugal, the Polisario can rely on the support of communists and some socialists who have diverged from their party’s stance on the Sahara issue. Since the early parliamentary elections of March 10, 2024, Portugal has been governed by a coalition of liberals and socialists, led by center-right Prime Minister Luis Montenegro.