Rabat – King Mohammed VI will be among the first heads of states to speak at the opening of the AU-EU summit today. Entrusted by the AU as the head of the pan-African mandate on migration, the King will deliver a speech on migration and mobility.
The EU-AU summit, which will mainly deal with immigration and security issues, has listed King Mohammed VI on the short-list of the four heads of state who will speak this Wednesday afternoon.
He will be the only North African leader to speak, alongside Chadian President Idriss Deby Itno, South African President Jacob Zuma, and Ghanaian President Nana Akufo Addo.
The King is among 5,000 participants, representing 54 African countries, 28 European countries, and members from the UN international organizations, attending the two-day summit.
The first day of the summit will encompass a lunch by the heads of state in the presence of the King, followed by round tables and finally bilateral meetings.
King Mohammed VI has been in Abidjan since Sunday for a working and friendly visit to the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire.
Sitting Alongside Separatists
Long gone are the days of Morocco’s empty seat policy during the African summits attended by Saharawi separatists. For the upcoming EU-AU summit, the kingdom will face the Polisario Front head on, with King Mohammed VI leading the Moroccan delegation.
After Morocco mobilized its European and African allies to try to exclude Polisario from the highly anticipated summit, the kingdom is now changing its game plan, while still pursuing its strategic objective to put an end to AU’s recognition of the so-called SADR.
