Morocco continues to gain political ground in Africa on the issue of Western Sahara (WS), a territory not yet internationally recognized as part of Moroccan sovereignty, but actually administered by Rabat. For Morocco, the opening of diplomatic consulates in the territory constitutes an express recognition of its sovereignty of the territory and a denial of the idea of SO as an independent state.

According to diplomatic sources in Rabat, 15 consulates have already been opened in the two main villages in WS territory, of which 8 in Laayoune and 7 in Dakhla, with further decisions to that effect by other African countries in the coming weeks. The last openings date from 23.OCT (Guinea Bissau, Equatorial Guinea and Burkina Faso) and 27.OCT (Zambia and Swaziland).

Among the countries that decided to open consulates, thus recognizing the Morocco´s sovereignty in WS, there is also Sao Tome and Principe, which opened a Consulate General in Laayoune on 23.JAN, at the expense of Morocco. The former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Sao Tome, ELSA PINTO had announced in 2019 the intention to promote a policy of rapprochement with Algeria, with a view to obtaining new aid (AM 1234).

At the opening ceremony of consulates in Dakhla on 23.OCT, promoted by the Moroccan government, Equatorial Guinea was represented by MFA SIMEON ESONO ANGUE and Guinea-Bissau by MFA SUZI BARBOSA (SB). Equatorial Guinea has historically close relations with Morocco, from the personal friendship between the late monarch HASSAN II and PR TEODORO OBIANG as well as strong economic relations, especially through SOMAGEC (AM 1147). Military and security cooperation between the two countries is also close. READ MORE