Morocco’s charm blitz to alienate SADR
0
0
The Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR) is the subject of intensifying diplomatic lobbying about its future status, with the Kingdom of Morocco lobbying other African nations to withdraw recognition of the western Saharan nation. The latest target for the Kingdom in a diplomacy blitz is Tanzania. According to a report, Morocco is looking to develop closer economic and diplomatic ties with the Tanzanian administration of Tanzanian president Samia Suluhu Hassan.
Tanzania hosts a SADR mission in Dar es Salaam. It is one of a handful of countries that recognises it as a state. Morocco leverages its economic power to conduct diplomacy and in this instance creating economic partnerships could tilt the view of Tanzania in its favour. With President Hassan of Tanzania eyeing re-election in 2025, one of her key campaign planks has been greater agricultural investment in the country, which would win over and consolidate rural voters, a key constituency. To this end, Rabat and Dar es Salaam have been negotiating the terms of setting up a fertilizer plant in Tanzania. in partnership with OCP, a majority state-owned Moroccan entity.
Charm offensive
Many other countries are the subject of Morocco’s diplomatic charm offensive with the goal of isolating the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic. A few days after his swearing in as Kenyan president, President Ruto met with Sahrawi President Brahim Ghali who attended his inauguration. His disavowal of the SADR followed the meeting with Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita.
In a now-deleted tweet, President Ruto wrote: “Kenya rescinds its recognition of the SADR and initiates steps to wind down the entity’s presence in the country.”
The Trump-esque Twitter gaffe prompted the Foreign Ministry of Kenya to issue a communique to all embassies that in future all formal declarations will be made through formal diplomatic documents, not social media. This is seen as an intervention to prevent another monumental gaffe from the new Kenyan premier.
MORE FROM PAIS | “TRUMPIAN” RUTO RUTHLESSLY ABANDONS SADR
A history of struggle
Morocco was conquered by the Spanish in 1884, with the territory becoming a province of Spain in 1934. The year after Morocco gained independence in 1956, it asserted its claim on the territory and assumed colonial control, in conflict with Mauritania’s claim on the area.
The formation of the Polisario Front in 1973, a movement that fought for the independence of what it names the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic, resulted in Mauritania renouncing its claims over the land. Around 80 percent of this land is controlled by the Kingdom of Morocco.
MORE FROM PAIS | ALGERIA CALLS FOR INTERNATIONAL SUPPORT FOR SADR AT UN
In 1991, the conflict was halted when United Nations Security Council Resolution 690 was adopted, which was the basis of the formation of the MINURSO – the “Mission of the United Nations for the Referendum in Western Sahara”. Its mandate was to monitor the ceasefire, that would be a prelude to a referendum on the status of the territory. It would either be integrated into Morocco, or it would be granted independence. More than 30 years later, this referendum is still to take place as disputes over eligibility to vote in the referendum have been the device used to delay and defer. In the meantime, the Kingdom of Morocco has resettled hundreds of thousands of its citizens to shift the demographics, which has resulted in over 60% of the population of the SADR territory being Moroccan nationals.
