Morocco recalls Tunisia envoy over Western Sahara

Rabat recalls its ambassador after Tunisian President Kais Saied receives Brahim Ghali of Polisario Front that is seeking independence for Western Sahara, a disputed territory Morocco regards as its own.

Morocco says Tunisia's decision to host Brahim Ghali "confirms its hostility in a blatant way". (AP Archive)

Morocco has recalled its ambassador to Tunis for consultations and cancelled its participation in a pan-African investment conference after Tunisia's president hosted the head of the Polisario movement. In a statement on Friday, Morocco's Foreign Ministry said the move was "hostile and prejudicial to the fraternal relations that the two countries have always maintained" and that it would "immediately" recall its ambassador and withdraw from the TICAD summit. "The welcome rolled out by the Tunisian head of state for the head of a separatist movement (Polisario chief Brahim Ghali) is a grave and unique act that deeply hurts the feelings of the Moroccan people," it said. "Tunisia, against the advice of Japan and in violation of the process of preparation and established rules, decided unilaterally to invite" the Polisario, it said. It also accused Tunisia of having recently "multiplied negative positions" against Morocco, and that its decision to host Ghali "confirms its hostility in a blatant way". The Polisario wants an independent state in Western Sahara, a vast stretch of strategically valuable, mineral-rich desert Morocco sees as a sovereign part of its own territory. Rabat, which controls 80 percent of the disputed region, has said it can grant autonomy to the region within the Moroccan sovereignty.  Polisario Front, which is politically backed by Algeria and controls 20 percent of Western Sahara, seeks complete independence.  Polisario chief Ghali met with President Kais Saied after arriving in Tunisia on Friday to attend the Japanese-African investment conference TICAD. Senegalese President Macky Sall, who is currently chair of the African Union, is scheduled to speak. The African Union recognises Western Sahara as a member but African states are split over both the Polisario and the territory's independence. Tunisia has this year grown closer to Algeria, its most populous neighbour and one upon which it relies for energy, with Saied meeting Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune in July. READ MORE: Morocco king calls for ties reset with 'brotherly' Algeria READ MORE: US backs Morocco's plan to grant autonomy to rebellious Western Sahara Neighbours, allies dragged into conflict  The development came as French President Emmanuel Macron was visiting Polisario backer Algeria for a high-profile, three-day visit aimed at fixing ties with the former French colony. It is not the first time that Ghali's travels have sparked Moroccan anger. In April 2021, he headed to Spain to be treated for Covid-19, sparking a year-long diplomatic row between Spain and the North African kingdom. It only ended after Madrid dropped its decades-long stance of neutrality over Western Sahara –– a former Spanish colony –– and backed a Moroccan plan for limited self-rule there. Gaining recognition for its sovereignty over Western Sahara has long been Morocco's most treasured foreign policy goal. In 2020 the United States led by Donald Trump recognised its sovereignty in return for Morocco agreeing to closer ties with Israel. Since then, Morocco has taken a tougher stance over Western Sahara, withdrawing its ambassadors to Spain and Germany until they moved closer to its stance on the territory. Algeria has withdrawn its own ambassador to Spain, a major customer for Algerian gas, after Madrid's sudden shift on Western Sahara. READ MORE: Top Israeli general cements military ties with Morocco in first visit READ MORE: Algeria accuses Morocco of carrying 'targeted killings' in border region Source: AFP

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Peru cuts ties with Western Sahara area after talks with Morocco

Lima snaps relations with the Polisario-run area of Western Sahara, saying it "respects" territorial integrity of Morocco, which claims the entire disputed territory and controls nearly 80 percent of it.

Western Sahara conflict, which had been largely frozen since a 1991 ceasefire, flared again in late 2020 after Polisario declared the truce null and void. (Arturo Rodriguez / AP)

Peru has cut diplomatic ties with the Polisario Front-administered portion of disputed Western Sahara in favour of improved ties with Morocco.

"In the absence of an effective bilateral relationship to date, the Government of the Republic of Peru decides to withdraw the recognition of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR) and to break all relations with this entity," the Foreign Ministry statement announced on Thursday.

Instead, Lima and Rabat will sign "a multisectoral roadmap covering regular political consultations, effective cooperation in economic, commercial, educational, energy, agriculture and fertiliser matters," the statement said.

The break came just 11 months after diplomatic relations were reestablished under leftist President Pedro Castillo.

The decision followed a "recent telephone conversation" between Peru's Foreign Minister, Miguel Rodriguez Mackay, and Moroccan counterpart Nasser Bourita, the ministry said in a statement.

The two nations decided to "strengthen their bilateral relations," it added and underscored that Peru "values and respects the territorial integrity of the Kingdom of Morocco and its national sovereignty."

Morocco claimed Western Sahara in 1975 in a move that was not recognised by the UN, calling it a "non-self governing territory". (TRTWorld)

The disputed status of Western Sahara –– a former Spanish colony considered a "non-self-governing territory" by the United Nations –– has pitted Morocco against the Polisario Front since the 1970s.

Rabat, which controls nearly 80 percent of the territory, is pushing for autonomy under its sovereignty.

The Polisario Front, however, wants a referendum on self-determination.

Morocco and neighbouring Algeria too are at odds over Western Sahara. Algiers backs Polisario Front and broke off diplomatic ties with Morocco in August 2021 while accusing Rabat of "hostile acts".

READ MORE: US backs Morocco's plan to grant autonomy to rebellious Western Sahara

US involvement

Peru and the Western Saharan territory reestablished official ties in September last year in one of Castillo's first diplomatic acts.

They had previously been suspended since 1996 under Moroccan pressure.

The Western Sahara conflict, which had been largely frozen since a 1991 ceasefire, flared again in late 2020 when the Polisario declared the truce null and void over Morocco's military operation inside the UN-patrolled buffer zone.

The same year, the administration of then-US president Donald Trump recognised Morocco's sovereignty over the territory in a deal that saw the kingdom mend ties with Israel.

The African Union recognises the SADR as a member.

READ MORE: Morocco king calls for ties reset with 'brotherly' Algeria

Source: AFP

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