China Rejects Polisario Front Invitation to Africa Summit, Again

Rabat – As the China-Africa summit opened earlier today, Beijing reaffirmed its long-standing position by excluding the Polisario Front from the high-level gathering, a move that underscores China’s consistent alignment with Morocco’s stance on the Western Sahara issue.

This diplomatic snub comes despite Algeria’s efforts to advocate for the Polisario’s inclusion. In a bid to secure the Polisario’s participation, Algerian Foreign Minister Ahmed Attaf met with the Chinese ambassador in Algiers on August 22.

Following this meeting, while some Algerian media already considered the Polisario Front’s invitation a “de facto necessity,” China’s refusal to invite the Polisario reflects its unchanged position on the Sahara dossier, much to the frustration of Algiers and its allies.

The exclusion is not without precedent. Even before Morocco rejoined the African Union (AU) in January 2017, Beijing had consistently rejected attempts by Algeria and South Africa to include the Polisario in China-Africa forums, whether hosted in China or on the African continent.

This pattern of excluding the separatist group from China-Africa events has continued unabated, with other global powers such as Russia, Turkey, South Korea, India, the United States, Saudi Arabia, and Italy also opting not to engage with the Polisario in their respective summits with the AU.

The latest China-Africa summit, which included a preliminary meeting of foreign ministers from both sides, was no exception.

With a focus on deepening Sino-African relations and addressing pressing issues like the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on Africa, the event provided another platform for Beijing to sideline the Polisario, despite ongoing pressures from South Africa, a key Polisario supporter and current AU chair.

China’s stance is largely seen as a reflection of its broader foreign policy objectives, which prioritize stable and beneficial relationships with African states that have strong economic and geopolitical significance.

As a key partner in China’s Belt and Road Initiative and a gateway to African markets, Morocco holds a strategic position in Beijing’s Africa policy.

By excluding the Polisario, China avoids antagonizing Morocco, a crucial ally in its Africa strategy, while at the same time aligning itself with Moroccan sovereignty claims over Western Sahara. The 2015 China-Africa summit hosted in Johannesburg, South Africa, marked a significant moment in this ongoing diplomatic saga. Despite South Africa’s advocacy for the Polisario, Chinese President Xi Jinping firmly upheld Beijing’s refusal to allow the separatist group a seat at the table.

This decision, made well before Morocco’s return to the AU, set the tone for subsequent China-Africa engagements and highlighted the diplomatic weight Morocco carries in these discussions.

As Beijing continues to sidestep Polisario involvement in its dealings with the AU, it sends a clear message about the limits of its partnerships within Africa.

For Morocco, this consistent support from China and other global powers strengthens its position on the Western Sahara issue, reaffirming its sovereignty claims and marginalizing the Polisario on the international stage.

While Algeria and its allies may continue to push for Polisario representation, China’s steadfast approach suggests that such efforts are unlikely to yield results.

This latest exclusion from the China-Africa summit reinforces the diplomatic isolation of the Polisario, a development that Morocco is likely to view as a significant victory in its ongoing campaign to secure international recognition of its sovereignty over Western Sahara.