The Basque humanitarian aid convoy is now on its way to Sahrawi refugee camps. The aid departed Basque Country on Saturday with support from different institutions in the country.
Basque humanitarian aid to help displaced Sahrawi people
A humanitarian aid convoy organised by the Basque Solidarity Movement is now on its way to Sahrawi refugee camps. The aid consists mainly of medical supplies, food provisions, and logistical support for Sahrawi institutions.
Residents and public institutions across the Basque Country organized the aid. The aid convoy’s departure was attended by the city’s mayor and different representatives across Basque Country.
Moreover, the organizers expect the aid to strengthen resilience in the Sahrawi refugee camps. The aid will also help the refugees endure the difficult conditions of displacement that they suffer from.
One of the representatives of the groups that supported the aid mentioned that the aid is a continuation of humanitarian and solidarity work. He said the Basque civil society expresses its support for the Sahrawi people in their struggle. He also hopes that international legitimacy is soon achieved and the decolonisation of Western Sahara is completed.
The Mayor of San Sebastian also confirmed that the convoy carries more than one hundred tons of aid. He said this effort reflects the commitment that friendship associations have organised in support of the Sahrawi people.
In 2025, Savina Ammassari, the UN Resident Coordinator in Algeria, warned that the Sahrawi refugee crisis had reached a breaking point, affecting children.
“This is the worst nutritional crisis in over a decade. Without immediate and collective action, the health and development of thousands of children and women are at stake,’ she said.
A protracted and unending humanitarian crisis
The Sahrawi refugee crisis is one of the most protracted refugee crises in the world. It began from an unresolved conflict over ownership of the Western Sahara after Spain’s decolonisation. The conflict is between Morocco and the Polisario Front.
It is a 50-year-old crisis that has now defined the state of the region and put the people there under terrible humanitarian conditions. Food security is a major problem affecting the Sahrawi refugees as the turmoil in the region continues.
However, institutions have been providing aid to help offset the problems facing the refugees. The EU has given over €306 million to the regions, and the World Food Programme (WFP) has also been providing critical aid.
Nevertheless, the crisis still remains underfunded, as some organisations that provide aid to the region suffered financial cuts. Both governmental and non-governmental organizations provide primary aid to the refugees.