Pandor ‘snubs’ Morocco’s autonomy proposal for Western Sahara

International Relations and Cooperation Minister Dr Naledi Pandor has snubbed Morocco by ignoring its latest proposal of autonomy and a referendum for Western Sahara.

Instead the minister paid a two-day official visit to the neighbouring Algeria at the weekend, to discuss the strengthening of bilateral relations.

The two countries expressed satisfaction with the quality and depth of their bilateral relations, anchored in the common struggles respectively against colonialism and apartheid, and they expressed their willingness to further enhance their economic cooperation.

African and global developments also featured prominently in the wide-ranging discussions between Pandor and Algeria’s minister of foreign affairs, Ramtane Lamamra.

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Pandor did not appear like she ever spoke to Morocco or at least the country’s embassy before visiting Algeria.

During the trip, the minister visited the Polisario Front’s camp in the south of Algeria, but not Morocco. However, in a post-meeting joint communique, the two countries reaffirmed their “unwavering commitment to support the legitimate struggle of the Sahrawi people to achieve its inalienable right to self-determination”.

What was clear was that, instead of engaging Morocco, South Africa and Algeria preferred existing multilateral platforms, although Morocco was willing to talk.

The arrival of Steffan Demistura, new personal envoy of the Uited Nations’ secretary-general, seemed to have given them impetus to put more pressure on Rabat to free Western Sahara, which South Africa has described as the “last colony” in Africa.

South Africa’s attitude has been that, as the last colonised land on the continent, Sahara must unconditionally be liberated by Morocco. But recently, Morocco proposed an autonomy plan instead, which would see Western Sahara becoming autonomous and a referendum conducted.

In terms of the autonomy plan, the region would have its own regional government, parliament, judiciary and police force, among others.

But the Polisario Front, which has been in conflict with Morocco for the last 45 years, fighting for complete independence, was yet to respond.

It is understood that in 2007 Morocco proposed a plan where everybody within Western Sahara would participate in a referendum without discrimination.

This was an improvement on the earlier referendum plan suggested by the UN and the African Union (AU), that then UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan said was “impossible” to implement, the reason being it would be difficult to determine who qualified to participate in the referendum due to numerous historical issues in the region.

At the conclusion of their meeting, Pandor and Lamamra urged the UN envoy to reactivate the UN process that provides for a settlement plan for Sahara.

The UN representative must also work closely with the AU to ensure the implementation of the AU decision adopted this year in which Morocco and the Polisario Front are to start direct negotiations without preconditions.

Both Morocco and Polisario Front are members of the AU and have embassies in South Africa.

The two ministers also spoke on the Middle-East situation and resolved to reaffirm their “unwavering support” for the Palestinian people, and the establishment of a viable Palestinian state, said the communique.

– ericn@citizen.co.za