Rabat – South Africa and Algeria remain determined to hamper the return of Morocco to the African Union (AU) until the Sahara issue is resolved, the Institute for Strategic Studies (ISS) based in Pretoria said in analysis published on November 24.
The strategy implemented by Morocco to ensure its return to the AU will not be an easy exercise, says the institute in an analysis, stressing that South Africa and Algeria, supported by Zimbabwe and Equatorial Guinea, are determined to hinder this process pending resolution of the Sahara issue.
According to Pretoria and Algiers, “the end of the occupation of the Western Sahara remains the last anti-colonial struggle that the AU must deliver,” the source said.
Referring to Morocco’s application for membership of the AU, the think tank noted that it was officially received by the AU Commission on 22 September, but the letter was not sent until 3 November, “A delay that some believe intentional,” says the ISS.
Morocco announced its intention to reunite with its African family last summer. During the 27th summit of the African Union held in Kigali (Rwanda) last July, King Mohammed VI addressed a letter to the participants, in which he stressed Morocco’s intention to return to the African Union.
“This well-thought-out decision to come back is endorsed by all of the nation’s forces,” King Mohammed VI said in the letter addressed to the AU, adding that “the time for ideology is over” and the African peoples need concrete, tangible action.
“One cannot change geography, nor can one escape the burden of history,” the Sovereign noted, stressing that for this reason Morocco should not remain outside its African institutional family and should regain its natural, rightful place within the AU.
Following the announcement of Morocco’s decision to rejoin the AU, 28 countries supported its decision and submitted a motion in which they called on the organization to suspend the membership of the self-proclaimed Saharawi Arab Democratic Republic.
