Category Archives: African Union

Moroccan officials intimidate AWSA members at African unity event

In Canberra on Thursday, May 25th, three AWSA members and Western Sahara representative to Australia Kamal Fadel were intimidated by Moroccan embassy staff. Kamal Fadel was directly blocked whilst attempting to enter Albert Hall, for an event commemorating the establishment of the Organisation of African Unity (now the African Union).

They were officially invited to this event, and had every intention of peacefully attending it. With the help of ambassadors accredited to Australia, all four were safely escorted inside.

Members attempting to enter Albert Hall (supplied)
Founders of the OAU in 1963. (South African History Online)

The Saharawi struggle for independence against the Moroccan regime is a Pan-Africanist struggle. It is clear that neocolonial occupiers of Western Sahara do not value this principle.

Article from the Guardian (written by Ben Doherty), below:

theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/may/31/moroccan-officials-accused-of-intimidation-after-fracas-at-african-unity-event-in-canberra

Western Sahara support groups release a strong statement on TICAD8, the Japan-organized forum on African development

The forum is to be held in Tunisia in August 2022. Friends of Western Sahara Japan and Africa Japan Forum (AJF) are calling on the Japanese government to include Western Sahara just like the EU-AU summit did in Brussels.

They demand that Western Sahara (SADR) be included in the list of invitees of the Japanese government. As the EU-AU summit in last February included Western Sahara, there is no reason that Japan excludes it.

Statement on TICAD8, 9 April 2022

Why the World Needs to Know About Western Sahara’s Seemingly Endless Struggle for Independence

Africa Speaks 4 Africa

Amira Ali

An interview with a Sahrawi Journalist and Activist

In 1975, Morocco, under King Hassan II, invaded Western Sahara; and since, the Sahrawi people female-dominated society of Arab and Berber descent — have been in an unflagging resistance struggle, committed to self-determination without exception. Today, Western Sahara remains the African continent’s (overtly) occupied territory — a Moroccan colony continue reading

Legal opinion on the request of the Kingdom of Morocco’s admission into the AU

Credits: VOA

                                                                                                                         Credits: VOA

Pambazuka News

Office of the Legal Counsel of the African Union 9 February 2017

Morocco was admitted to the African Union at the recent AU Summit. Until now, it was the only African country not to belong to the AU. Morocco left the AU’s predecessor, the Organisation of African Unity, in 1984 after the body recognised the independence of Western Sahara, which is still illegally occupied by Morocco.

Read the Legal Opinion of the OLCAU in the Pambazuka Article >>

By Letting Morocco Back In, The African Union Ignores Colonisation

Security men sit in front of a mural of the Western Sahara flag at at the Smara refugee camp in Algeria's Tindouf province, home to some several thousands Sahawari refugees, ahead of the 16th edition of the Sahara Marathon, which is organised to demonstrate solidarity with the Saharawi people and to support the independence of the Western Sahara, on February 22, 2016 . Farouk Batiche / AFP / Getty Images

Security men sit in front of a mural of the Western Sahara flag at at the Smara refugee camp in Algeria’s Tindouf province, home to some several thousands Sahawari refugees, ahead of the 16th edition of the Sahara Marathon, which is organised to demonstrate solidarity with the Saharawi people and to support the independence of the Western Sahara, on February 22, 2016 . Farouk Batiche / AFP / Getty Images

The Huffington Post Blog

Catherine Constantinides

1 February 2017

The inclusion of Morocco back into the fold is a shame on the African Union when the unresolved conflict of the Saharawi people still hangs in the balance.

Huffington Post Blog >>

Morocco is called to contribute to the full implementation of the peace plan (President of the Republic)

 

AU pictureSahara Press Service 1 February 2017

The President of the Republic, Secretary General of Frente POLISARIO, Brahim Gali affirmed from Addis Ababa that the accession of the Kingdom of Morocco to the African Union commits him to contribute effectively to the implementation of the UN-AU peace plan in Western Sahara and respect the sovereignty of the Sahrawi Republic over its territory.

SPS Article >>

SADR ready to negotiate with Morocco to end occupation

Foreign minister oleak

Sahara Press Service 31 January 2017

“The Sahrawi Republic is willing to negotiate with Morocco to put an end to the colonization of our territories in accordance with the international law and the respect of the Sahrawi people’s rights,” Ould Salek told APS on the sidelines of the 28th Summit of the African Union (AU), being held in the Ethiopian capital.

He said that Morocco’s admission into the African Union represented “a victory of the Sahrawi people since Morocco had finally accepted to sit alongside its neighbor, Western Sahara.”

SPS Article >>

ANC regrets Morocco’s return to the African Union fold

anc pic jan 17

Sahara Press Service  31 January 2017

The African National Congress (ANC) expressed on Tuesday its regrets over the African Union’s decision to readmit Morocco into the organization, which represents an “important setback for the cause of the Saharawi people”. 

SPS Article >>

The ANC’s Statement follows:

Statement by the African National Congress on the readmission of the Kingdom of Morocco to the African Union (AU)

Edna Molewa, Chairperson: ANC NEC SubCommittee on International Relations, 31 January 2017

“The African National Congress (ANC) notes the regrettable decision of the African Union (AU) to readmit the Kingdom of Morocco to the organization.

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