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Rabat – South Africa appears unwilling to adopt the international consensus supporting Morocco’s Autonomy Plan as the only framework to end the dispute over Western Sahara.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa took to the UNGA podium today to address the Sahara question, notably voicing the isolated position that only Algeria, the Polisario, and their faltering base of third-worldist intellectuals and self-righteous activists currently cling to in an international community that has drastically shifted toward embracing the Moroccan Autonomy Plan.
Ramaphosa tellingly concluded his speech by appealing to Algeria’s regime, echoing the Polisario Front’s “self-determination” talking points while voicing support for the separatist group’s independence claims.
“We have a responsibility as a member state of the UN to reaffirm the right also of self-determination of the people of Western Sahara,” Ramaphosa said. His remarks received applause that resonated only among members of his own delegation.
Given Preotria’s deep-seated anti-Morocco rhetoric, it would be only surprising if President Ramaphosa had not included it in his speech today. Recently, South Africa has even gone so far as to contest former President Zuma’s freedom of conscience after he chose to join the growing international chorus supporting Morocco’s autonomy initiative for the Sahara.
During a significant visit to Morocco, he broke free from Pretoria’s hostility toward Rabat and announced support for Morocco’s territorial integrity.
His remarks sparked uproar among Polisario’s supporters, including his own country.
The government soon distanced itself from his visit to Morocco despite proof that his trip was planned by the South African embassy in Rabat.
As part of its desperate campaign, however, South Africa said earlier this month that it was planning to “demarch” Morocco’s ambassador in Pretoria over the displaying of the South Africa flag during Zuma’s meeting.
“The plans are underway to demarche the Charge d’affaires of the Embassy of the Kingdom of Morocco in Pretoria to register South Africa’s strong objection to the abuse of South Africa’s national flag,” Ronald Lamola, South Africa’s Minister of International Relations, said earlier this month.
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