Latest news with #WesternSahara
Reuters
16 hours ago
- Politics
- Reuters
Portugal signals support for Morocco's autonomy plan for Western Sahara
LISBON, July 22 (Reuters) - Portugal joined other Western countries in expressing a positive view of Morocco's autonomy proposal for the disputed Western Sahara region, after Portuguese Foreign Minister Paulo Rangel said on Tuesday the plan had a "serious and credible basis". The dispute, dating back to 1975, pits Morocco - which claims sovereignty over Western Sahara - against the Algeria-backed Polisario Front, which seeks an independent state there. Rangel showed support for the autonomy proposal, first presented by Moroccan King Mohammed VI to the United Nations in 2007, following a meeting in Lisbon with Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita. The plan would establish a local legislative, executive, and judicial authority for Western Sahara elected by its residents, while Rabat would retain control over defence, foreign affairs, and religion. "Following movements made by France, Spain, Britain and others, Portugal considers that this ... will be the most serious basis for a solution, but always under the auspices of the U.N.," Rangel later told reporters, falling short of recognising Morocco's sovereignty over the territory. Jose Tomaz Castello Branco, a professor of political science at Lisbon's Catholic University, said Portugal's position was "quite diplomatic, reasonable, and opens the door to a future formal recognition of Morocco's sovereignty". "However, the Portuguese government is reserving room to maneuver to decide in the future, not committing completely yet," he said, adding that Lisbon's position should always be "carefully considered because Morocco is also Portugal's neighbor". During a high-level meeting in 2023, Portugal's previous Socialist government had already formalised its view of Morocco's proposal as "realistic, serious and credible", but Rangel's comments cemented the current centre-right government's position. In 1976, following Spain's withdrawal from what was until then its colony, the Polisario Front proclaimed the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic as a government-in-exile, based on the right to self-determination. France and Spain have also backed the autonomy proposal, with Madrid in 2022 formally describing it as "the most serious, realistic and credible" framework for resolving the dispute.
Mail & Guardian
19 hours ago
- Politics
- Mail & Guardian
We won't attack Zuma publicly, even if he takes arms with Morocco, Western Sahara's Beisat says
Former president Jacob Zuma. Photo: Delwyn Verasamy/M&G The 'We as Polisario will never make public comments about comrade Jacob Zuma because of his age and because he has been friends with us for the last 50 years. Unless we meet and hear from him directly, we will never make Mail & Guardian . 'In his 83 years of life, 60‑plus of his years have been spent defending freedom and In a show of support for the North African country's control over the disputed territory between Morocco and Western Sahara, Zuma and a delegation from the MK party last week met Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita in Rabat. On Sunday, ANC secretary general During his tenure as South Africa's president and leader of the The conflict began as an insurgency by the Polisario Front against Spanish colonial rule from 1973 to 1975, and then continued with Western Sahara's struggle against Morocco until 1991. It is now largely characterised by peaceful civil campaigns led by the Polisario Front and the self‑declared Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic in pursuit of fully recognised independence. In a media briefing last month, former MK secretary general 'There are those close to Zuma who visited Morocco, were promised money, then returned saying MK must agree with Morocco's oppression of Western Sahara,' Shivambu alleged. He said he had written a letter dated 27 to the Polisario Front, stating that Zuma would 'engage with' the nationalist movement ahead of the Moroccan government, but this has not happened. Beisat said although the Polisario Front could not understand what had changed in Zuma's stance, it was familiar with Morocco's modus operandi that 'that money is God'. 'We know them very well over the last 60 years we have been at war with them but we can't comment on how MKP behaves because it's a new party and we don't know how they operate,' Beisat said. An MK party insider said the conversation about Western Sahara was a difficult one, because it may not make sense for the region,with its population of just over 600 000, to become an independent country. 'We are not downplaying the suffering or historical issues, but why do they want to become a country? We cannot keep debating the past 50 years without moving forward,' the insider said. The MK party's constitution places traditional leadership at the centre of the Africa it envisions, with traditional leaders playing a more prominent unifying role, said its head of the presidency, He said Morocco is a prime example of how democracy and modernity can coexist under traditional leadership, adding that Zuma had begun interacting with the King of Morocco as early as 2017 to seek a possible solution to the conflict, leading to South Africa reopening its embassy in the North African country. Mzobe argued that because the dispute has persisted for so long without resolution, the most sensible decision is to grant the region autonomy within Morocco, similar to provinces with self-governance under one national flag. 'Just as we argued that [South Africa's former homelands] Bophuthatswana, Transkei and Ciskei cannot remain independent countries in the imagination, people argued we needed our own passports. The liberation movement said provinces with self‑governing budgets within one country called South Africa were sufficient,' Mzobe said. 'You know about municipalities in South Africa that have populations double or triple that number. That's why we propose an autonomous region of Sahrawi under one country and one flag, Morocco.' Mzobe said South Africa could face similar demands from the likes of the Orania movement, an Afrikaner group in the Northern Cape advocating for ethnic independence. He said the party would meet the Polisario Front to explain why it believes autonomy, not independence, is the most viable solution after decades of conflict. Responding to the MK party's move, Mbalula said: 'Jacob Zuma represents everything that is wrong and pursued by sell‑outs. The ANC will fight alongside the Sahrawi people for their self‑determination. Morocco must end its occupation of Western Sahara. Zuma is not a messiah — he is a sell-out of note,' Mbalula told a media briefing. On Monday, Economic Freedom Fighters leader 'A former head of state can visit any country and interact with its leaders. No one questions that. What we question is his position and that of his party in relation to Morocco,' Malema told journalists after a court appearance in East London.
Russia Today
2 days ago
- Politics
- Russia Today
Former South African leader criticized for supporting Morocco in regional dispute
The secretary-general of the African National Congress (ANC), Fikile Mbalula, has branded Umkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party leader Jacob Zuma a 'sellout' for his support of Morocco, stating that the party is not surprised by Zuma's actions. The Western Sahara, a sparsely populated desert region on Africa's northwest coast, was a Spanish colony before its annexation by Morocco in 1975. This has led to a protracted territorial dispute between Morocco and the indigenous Saharawi people, represented by the Polisario Front. The ANC criticism comes after Zuma visited Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita in Rabat. Zuma shared his support for the Kingdom of Morocco, which considers the Western Sahara territory as its own, against the Algeria-backed Polisario front, which seeks an independent state in the desert territory. The MK Party released a policy position earlier this week explaining that they believe South Africa and the Kingdom of Morocco should be committed to strengthening their bilateral relations, grounded in shared principles of sovereignty, territorial integrity, and African unity. 'The MK Party's identity is deeply rooted in the historic struggle for liberation and dignity in South Africa. Similarly, Morocco's history is marked by its resistance to colonial domination and its determined pursuit of national unity. 'Both nations were shaped by their anti-colonial struggles — South Africa from apartheid and Morocco from French and Spanish rule. 'In this regard, Morocco has played a pivotal role in supporting South Africa through its fight for liberation. Morocco was the first country to lend financial and military support to Umkhonto weSizwe in 1962. 'Morocco's efforts to reclaim its full territorial integrity align with the MK Party's commitment to preserving the sovereignty and unity of African states,' the policy states. On Saturday, the party lambasted the use of the national flag in Zuma's meeting with Moroccan officials. 'This reckless and provocative act constitutes a flagrant violation of international diplomatic norms and an unacceptable intrusion into South Africa's internal political affairs. It is a dangerous attempt to delegitimise our constitutional order and discredit the authority of a democratically elected government. 'The inclusion of our national symbols in partisan activities hosted by foreign powers is not only misleading but also part of a broader agenda of foreign interference,' the ANC said. 'The ANC urges the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) to issue a formal diplomatic protest and to demand an immediate explanation and apology from the Moroccan authorities. 'We also call on all South Africans, regardless of political affiliation, to reject this dangerous precedent that threatens our sovereignty, our democracy, and our national unity. 'We further condemn the opportunistic involvement of Jacob Zuma, who has aligned himself with efforts that erode South Africa's standing in the international community and betray the principles of non-alignment, peace, and anticolonial solidarity that he once purported to uphold,' the party said. 'The leader of the MKP has revealed his true colours by demonstrating a lack of belief in the ANC's political, economic, and ideological principles of progressive internationalism, Pan-Africanism, and solidarity on both international and continental levels. 'It is shameful that a former leader of a liberation movement is betraying our historical mission and showing his true colours as he stands in opposition to the aim of contributing to the creation of a better Africa and world that is more humane, just, equitable, democratic, and free world,' the ANC said. On Sunday, Mbalula said that Zuma's actions are not a surprise as 'Jacob Zuma represents everything that is... pursued by sellouts'. Mbalula came out to address the media during a short interval at the Cape Sun Hotel, where the ANC's National Working Committee (NWC) met with the Provincial Executive Committee. This forms part of the ANC's ongoing efforts to strengthen its organisational capacity and engage directly with structures of the movement across regions and districts. 'We, as the ANC, will fight side-by-side for the self-determination of the Sahrawi people. We are in solidarity with them, and Morocco must stop the occupation of Western Sahara. 'Zuma is no messiah. He is a sellout of note. For whatever reason, he is doing this is no surprise to us,' Mbalula said. 'The very decision to steal the assets of the ANC to form a political party, and call it what it is, to divide our people, to weaken the African National Congress, for his own personal aggrandisement, is what he has been. He will be remembered for that by history.' The MK Party was contacted for comment, but indicated that they will respond to Mbalula's comment at a future published by IOL
Zawya
11-07-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Renewable energy to power 500mw data centre in Morocco
Morocco plans to build a 500 megawatt data centre powered by renewable energy to strengthen the security of data storage, its digital transition minister said. The centre will be located in Dakhla, in Western Sahara, Amal El Fallah Seghrouchni told Reuters, without giving details on the timeline or cost. Several countries are building such centres to ensure that sensitive data can be stored and processed within national borders. These centres can be owned or operated by state-owned or private companies while ensuring that data remains under the legal jurisdiction of the host country. Morocco launched its first such centre at the Mohammed VI Polytechnic University. It has been offering cloud hosting services to local public and private organisations since January. "Through this network of data centres, the kingdom not only asserts its digital sovereignty, but also its ambition to become a regional digital hub serving Africa,' Seghrouchni said. Morocco plans to invest 11 billion dirhams ($1.22 billion) on its digital modernisation strategy over 2024-2026, which includes artificial intelligence and expanding fibre optic deployment. All rights reserved. © 2022. Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (
Zawya
10-07-2025
- Business
- Zawya
UAE firms in talks with Morocco for wind energy projects
Morocco is in negotiations with several UAE companies to launch wind energy projects in its southern provinces in Western Sahara, press reports have said. As part of its ambitious plan to increase renewable energy's share to 52 percent by 2030, Rabat is reportedly negotiating the wind energy projects with Masdar, AMEA Power, and Taqa, the US-based Attaqa website said. The expected investments for wind energy projects in Morocco's southern provinces in Western Sahara, currently under negotiation, range between $8 billion and $10 billion, with a production capacity reaching 5,000 megawatts (MW), it said. According to the report, Western Sahara currently hosts four operational wind stations with a total capacity of approximately 750 MW. These are Tarfaya (300 MW), Aftissat (200 MW), Laayoune (50 MW), and Akhfenir (200 MW). Upcoming projects include Boujdour (300 MW) and Tiskrad (100 MW), the Attaqa report noted. (Writing by Nadim Kawach; Editing by Anoop Menon) (
