African Union: Moroccan manoeuvres against the SADR (Western Sahara)

Tags: Morocco, African Union, Western Sahara, Malabo Summit, Dlamini Zuma

Morocco: Mission Report (AU Summit in Malabo, June 20-27, 2014)

In accordance with the action plan and roadmap derived from the strategy to counter the African Union’s attempts to interfere in and get involved with the UN process regarding the « Western Sahara issue, » Mr. Kadmiri and I traveled to Malabo on June 19 to monitor the proceedings of the 23rd AU Summit (June 20-27, 2014).

The objective was to continue the work initiated by the same delegation in Addis Ababa around fifteen days earlier.

Indeed, thanks to the support of our close allies (the Permanent Representatives of friendly countries accredited to the AU), with Senegal as the leader, and our active presence within the conference center, the following outcomes were achieved:

The provisions contained in the « Peace and Security Council report on the Sahara, » prepared and adopted in Addis Ababa, were not amended in Malabo.

The Summit did not adopt a specific resolution on the Sahara.

The AU Commission was not given a mandate to interfere in the UN process for resolving the Sahara issue.

The report by the Chairperson of the AU Commission on the Sahara was postponed to the next Summit.

Nevertheless, at the instigation of the Ugandan presidency of the Peace and Security Council (PSC), the term « illegal » was added to the expression « exploitation of natural resources » in the text submitted to the heads of state.

This setback is a result of the majority presence of our adversaries within the PSC, namely Uganda, Algeria, South Africa, Tanzania, Mozambique, and Namibia, while our side was represented only by Niger.

Efforts will be made to work with friendly delegations to try to overturn this addition.

It should be noted that, although the Sahara issue was not officially on the summit’s agenda, Tanzania, in its intervention during the discussion of the « Agenda 2063 » item, referred to the Sahara as a « decolonization issue that must be resolved without delay. »

Additionally, we engaged in numerous contacts within the AU summit come with ministers and delegation members from countries such as Senegal, Niger, Kenya, Gambia, Mauritania, and especially with the chief of staff to Mrs. Zuma, Burkinabé Jean Baptiste Natama.

Mr. Natama was particularly helpful, providing us with all the summit documentation in advance.

Thus, it can be said that the mission achieved its objectives.

However, increased efforts must be made by strengthening relations and ties with traditionally friendly countries and opening up to those in Southern Africa, who form the base of support for the adversaries of our country’s territorial integrity.

With high regard,
Moha Ouali Tagma*

*Former Director of African Department in FM, Now Morocco’s Ambassador in Abuja

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