Tangier’s Appeal: Five New Supporters Urge SADR Expulsion from AU

On Nov 18, 2023

Tangier – Five new African signatories on Friday joined the “Tangier Appeal” for the expulsion of the so-called “SADR” from the African Union (AU).

In a recent follow-up meeting of the “Tangier Appeal” at the MEDays Forum, five distinguished former African foreign ministers, including David J. Francis, Urbino Botelho, Ezechiel Nibigira, Albert Mabri Toikeusse, and Cheikh Tidiane Gadio, added their signatures to the initiative started on November 4, 2022, in Tangier. This brings the total number of signatories to 23 since its launch a year ago.

The signatories, who previously led the diplomacy of Sierra Leone, Sao Tome & Principe, Burundi, Côte d’Ivoire, and Senegal, initiated regional discussions aimed at expelling the so-called “SADR” from the African Union.

During the meeting, the signatories expressed their satisfaction with the initiative’s continental impact and growing momentum. They reiterated their dedication to working towards the “urgent exclusion” of the non-state entity “SADR” from the African Union.

The commitment in Africa to support Moroccan sovereignty over the Sahara was also acknowledged by the signatories. They highlighted the significance of opening new consulates general in Dakhla and Laâyoune, emphasizing the vitality of pan-African dialogue and the shared desire to overcome historical divisions for a prosperous future in Africa.

The signatories applauded UN Security Council Resolution 2703, recognizing that the Sahara conflict requires a just, lasting, and mutually acceptable solution. They endorsed the pragmatic, realistic, and compromise spirit embodied in the Moroccan autonomy plan.

Affirming their full support for the Moroccan Autonomy Plan as the sole solution for the definitive settlement of the regional dispute over the Moroccan Sahara, the signatories called for comprehensive adherence from the African and international community. They urged global support to bring an end to the long-standing conflict.

The “Tangier Appeal” signatories reiterated their unwavering commitment to achieving the expulsion of the so-called “SADR” from the African Union. They emphasized that this is a crucial step to restore impartiality and credibility to the Pan-African Organization on the Moroccan Sahara issue.