South Africa wants to support SADC in Western Sahara - RFI

By RFIPalled on 03-25-2019Modified on 25-03-2019 at 20:43

The countries of Southern Africa united to support Western Sahara. South Africa hosts since Monday, March 25, a solidarity conference with the Saharawi people that brings together all the member countries of SADC, the Southern African Development Community. Western Sahara has been fighting for more than 40 years for its independence from Morocco.

The balance of power has recently changed on the Saharawi record. Morocco has been lobbying heavily in recent years and reintegrated into the African Union and several countries, including some from the southern region, have frozen their relationship with the Sahrawi independence movement.

It is to try to rebalance this balance of power in favor of its Saharawi allies that Pretoria wants to bring the support of the southern region to Western Sahara. The South Africans are determined to make the most of the discussions between Morocco and the separatists of the Polisario Front . They resumed a few months ago under the auspices of the United Nations, after six years of interruption.

South Africa, which regards Western Sahara as one of the last colonized territories of the African continent, believes that support for the Saharawi cause is more than ever necessary.

Especially since the mandate of Minurso, the UN mission in Western Sahara, which guarantees a cease-fire in the region, expires next month and that the US administration has opposed its renewal for one year.

We can not talk about post-colonial Africa, if Western Sahara is still occupied by Morocco, recalled the South African Minister of Foreign Affairs, Lindiwe Sisulu. " We are here for a just cause. And we note with sadness that the Saharawi people are still fighting for their rights. Although the UN plays an active role in solving this problem, we, SADC members, have decided to stand together in their efforts. And as long as our Saharawi brothers and sisters can not exercise their right to self-determination and independence, "said Lindiwe Sisulu.

Minister Lindiwe Sisulu: As we gather here today for a just cause, we note that the Saharawi people are still fighting for their right to self-determination and for far too long. #SADCSaharawiSolidarity conference pic.twitter.com/tupTYkjPxr

Even if South Africa, Zimbabwe or Angola have always shown unconditional support for the Saharawi cause, because of the historical links between their independence movements, some countries, such as Mozambique and Zambia, under pressure from Morocco , have frozen their relationship with Western Sahara.

Pretoria hopes to rally the region behind support and a common strategy.

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