Oubi Bouchraya Bachir: Makhzen’s Agenda Grows Increasingly Hostile Toward the African Union

✏️ BY: Dr. Hana Saada

Algiers, Algeria | August 26th, 2024 —  Oubi Bouchraya Bachir, the Polisario Front’s representative to Switzerland and the United Nations in Geneva, has denounced Morocco’s ruling Makhzen regime for intensifying its opposition to the African Union’s (AU) core goals of continental unity and development. According to Bachir, Morocco’s agenda within the AU has become increasingly antagonistic, reflecting a desperate attempt to undermine the Union’s principles and weaken the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR).

In an article published on Sunday, Bachir sharply criticized a recent incident involving a Moroccan diplomat’s “irresponsible” and “violent aggression” against the SADR delegation during the Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD). He asserted that this aggression epitomizes Morocco’s continuous failures in trying to impose its will within the AU, despite its re-entry into the organization in 2017.

Morocco’s Faltering Strategy Within the AU

“Morocco’s approach within the AU is not only misaligned with the Union’s principles but increasingly hostile to its core objectives of unity and development,” Bachir stated. He emphasized that Morocco’s efforts to isolate the SADR since rejoining the AU after a 32-year hiatus have repeatedly fallen short. Although Morocco’s return in January 2017 was seen as a calculated strategy to sideline the SADR—a founding AU member—this plan has floundered.

Bachir elaborated on Morocco’s initial decision to return to the AU, pointing out that the regime had accepted sitting alongside the SADR, even formally recognizing it in Morocco’s official journal. Morocco hoped to transform its setbacks outside the AU into triumphs from within. However, seven years later, the SADR remains solidly entrenched in the AU, while Morocco’s objectives have largely failed to materialize.

Diplomatic Wins for the SADR and AU Support

Instead of being weakened, the SADR has strengthened its diplomatic standing within the AU, bolstered by the solidarity of African nations committed to upholding the Union’s founding principles. Bachir highlighted key instances of SADR participation in major international events, such as the AU-European Union summits in Abidjan in 2017 and Brussels in 2022, and the AU-Japan summit in Maputo in 2017, underscoring the SADR’s diplomatic endurance.

Bachir attributed these successes to the consistent backing of African states, who view adherence to the AU’s Constitutive Act and the respect for the sovereignty of all member states—including the SADR—as vital to the Union’s integrity and future stability.

Morocco’s Destabilizing Tactics and Broader Agenda

Despite Morocco’s sustained efforts to marginalize the SADR, it has consistently failed due to the firm collective stance of African nations. Bachir accused Morocco of adopting increasingly disruptive tactics, such as manufacturing crises and tarnishing the AU’s reputation on the global stage. These destabilizing activities, he warned, are not limited to the Western Sahara conflict but extend to efforts like Morocco’s push to secure observer status for the Zionist entity within the AU, a controversial move that has caused significant tensions.

According to Bachir, these actions reveal Morocco’s broader strategy of undermining the AU from within while seeking to reshape the political landscape to its advantage.

Call for Collective Resistance

Bachir concluded his remarks by calling for a united resistance to Morocco’s provocations, stressing that the future of Africa and the unity of the AU depend on adherence to the Union’s founding principles and the protection of all member states’ sovereignty, including the SADR.

“The international community, particularly Africa, must remain steadfast in upholding the African Union’s values,” Bachir urged. He warned that Morocco’s continued attempts to destabilize the Union could have far-reaching consequences for peace, unity, and development across the continent.

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