Morocco will hold an African conference at the foreign ministers’ level to show support for the UN process in the Sahara on March 25 in Marrakech. The African Union has by the past adopted stands hostile to Morocco’s territorial integrity and to the UN process under pressure from Algeria and the pro-separatist states in Africa, notably South Africa. However, the return of Morocco to the African Union restored balance to the African Union position as an increasing number of states support a freeze of the membership of the Algerian-backed polisario separatist front. Last July, the AU gave up its parallel process to mediate in the Sahara issue while stressing the primacy of the UN process and commending Morocco’s autonomy initiative. The Polisario and their Algerian mentors are feeling the heat of an imminent change in the AU in favor of Morocco.

Source: The North Africa Journal March 17, 2019 19:30 UTC