In response to a question on the South African president welcoming the polisario militia leader, the Moroccan FM Bourita said during a news conference after he met with his Belgian counterpart Hadja Lahbib that “rolling out a rag or a red carpet does not alter the case, but rather expresses inability to influence.”
[bs-quote quote=”South Africa notes that half of the African continent, 23 countries, have opened consulates in the southern provinces, including several countries from its direct neighborhood and region” style=”default” align=”left” color=”” author_name=”Nasser Bourita” author_job=”The Moroccan Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation, and Moroccan Expatriates” author_avatar=”” author_link=””][/bs-quote]
The minister stated that South Africa “is on the wrong side of history” in light of “all the developments” that have characterized this problem, particularly at a time when the trend is to find a resolution within the UN.
Bourita further emphasized how Pretoria’s actions over the Moroccan Sahara issue damage bilateral ties, particularly in terms of business.
The minister recalled that South Africa had acknowledged the puppet organization in 2005, believing that the situation would eventually alter and that Africa and the rest of the globe would follow suit. Though South Africa has joined the Security Council three times since 2005, the reality is that 20 nations have withdrawn their recognition since 2005, including 10 in Africa, 7 of which are in Pretoria’s area, and “nothing has changed” (in 2007, 2011, and 2019).
Additionally, he pointed out that 90 nations, including Belgium and nearly 10 additional European nations, have recently expressed support for the autonomy plan that Morocco proposed in 2007.
Out of these 90 nations, 30 are African nations that share the same optimistic outlook, the minister continued, praising the African Union.
Bourita cited King Mohammed VI’s emphatic speech from August 20 in which the Sovereign stated that the Sahara issue is the lens through which Morocco views its international environment. The minister went on to add that “a South African company cannot make money in Morocco by standing idly by in the face of its government’s actions.” He also called for a “constructive” stance on the Sahara.