Morocco Rejoins African Union

Thirty-nine countries have voted to let Morocco rejoin the Organisation of African Unity. It is thirty-three years since Morocco withdrew form the African Union in protest, following the admittance of the self-proclaimed Algerian backed Saharawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR) as member of the organisation

“Morocco is now a full member of the African Union. There was a very long debate but 39 of our 54 states approved the return of Morocco, even if the Western Sahara question remains,” Senegalese President Macky Sall told journalists.

At the same time, Chadian Moussa Faki Mahamat was elected, chairman of the African Union (AU) commission, replacing South African Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma.

Moussa Faki Mahamat beat Kenyan candidate Amina Mohamed in the final round.

The African Union also elected Alpha Conde as the new chairperson of the pan-African organisation, succeeding Chadian President Idris Deby. Morocco will welcome this development as the Guinean president, Alpha Conde, has a good relationship with Morocco.

Conde met the Moroccan Monarch, King Mohammed VI, on Sunday, during a royal dinner King Mohammed VI hosted in the presence of African Leaders.

The meeting between the Moroccan Monarch and the newly elected chairperson of the AU purportedly went on longer than meetings with other heads of states.

The election of Conde, by the Assembly of Heads of State, was expected as the position rotates among the five regions of the continent; North, Central, East, West and Southern African regions. This year it was the turn of West Africa with which Morocco has very good relationships.

The 28th AU Summit was held in Ethiopia’s capital Addis Ababa

Criticism of President Trump

The out-going head of the African Union has criticised Donald Trump’s ban on immigration from some Muslim-majority countries, saying it presents “one of the greatest challenges” for the continent.

As representatives of the AU’s 53 member states met in Addis Ababa for a two-day summit, Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma said the bloc was entering “very turbulent times” after the US President’s election.

“The very country to which many of our people were taken as slaves during the transatlantic slave trade has now decided to ban refugees from some of our countries,” said Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma.

Donald Trump announces a ban on refugees and all visitors from Muslim-majority countries “What do we do about this? Indeed, this is one of the greatest challenges to our unity and solidarity.”


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