EFA General Assembly will start with a conference on Western Sahara

The inauguration event will count on the participation of first-line Saharawi politicians and activists

EFA General Assembly will start next Thursday, 12 May, in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria with a conference on Western Sahara. This was announced yesterday in a press conference by EFA President, Lorena López de Lacalle, and the Vice-president of the Government of the Canary Islands, Román Rodríguez. This inauguration conference will count on the participation of Fatma Mehdi,the Saharawi Minister of Cooperation, Alien Kentaoui Ali, delegate of the DASR in Sweden, Carmelo Ramírez, president of the Federación de Instituciones Solidarias con el Sáhara, Pernando Barrena MEP, the Saharawi activist from the occupied territories El Ghalia Djimi, and the Saharawi lawyer and activist Loueila Mint El Mamy.

The opening topic has been proposed by Nueva Canarias, the party hosting this year’s General Assembly, because of the importance of the reception of migrants from Sahara in the Canary Islands. “The Canary Islands are the Southern border of the Spanish state and also Europe. Therefore, we have to treat reception from a European perspective”, explained Mr Román Rodríguez. “The challenges we face as EU, such as climate change, will also increase the migration flows. It is important that we work together to manage these challenges in a coordinated way”, agreed Ms Lorena López de Lacalle.

The General Assembly

Nueva Canarias hosts this year’s EFA General Assembly. It is the first time that a European Political Party holds its annual meeting in the Canary Islands. Behind this decision, there is EFA firm conviction in that all European regions should have the same opportunities. “From 12 to 14 May, EFA 49 political parties from all over Europe will meet in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. They will debate on topics that are important for the Canary Islands, the European Union and the European Free Alliance. They are the situation of Western Sahara, migration and the launch of the Islands Forum with Las Palmas declaration, which will be the platform of cooperation between different member parties from insular territories”, comments EFA President. EFA MEPs Jordi Solé, Pernando Barrena and François Alfonsi will also attend the event.