Morocco was never on Summit agenda, but yes they want to re-join – African Union

Amid rising media report, the African Union has issued a statement clarify that Morocco did not attend nor address the AU Summit in Kigali last week. Neither did the  issue north African country’s wish to  re-join the AU brought up for discussion.

However, the continental body, confirmed that it did receive correspondence from Morocco’s King Mohammed VI, stating his country’s intention to re-join the African Union (AU). 

Morocco, a founding member of the Organisation of African Unity (the African Union’s predecessor) quit in 1984 to protest against the admission of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic into the  continental body with that memorable quote: “While we wait for wiser days, we will bid you farewell.”

The Au statement emphasised today: “This issue was neither an agenda item of the Summit nor a subject of discussion during the proceedings of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government.” Clarifying further it reads:

“In this regard, the AU Commission wishes to recall Article 29 of the Constitutive Act of the African Union, and relating to ‘Admission to Membership,’ which states: Firstly, any African State may, at any time after the entry into force of this Act, notify the Chairman of the Commission of its intention to accede to this Act and to be admitted as a member of the Union. Secondly, the Chairman of the Commission shall, upon receipt of such notification, transmit copies thereof to all Member States. Admission shall be decided by a simple majority of the Member States. The decision of each Member State shall be transmitted to the Chairman of the Commission who shall, upon receipt of the required number of votes, communicate the decision to the State concerned.And in addition, the AU Commission wishes to recall that the AU Constitutive Act does not have any provision for the expulsion of any Member State of the Union.”

In her speech officially opening the Kigali AU Summit, the outgoing AU Commission Chairperson Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma even stated: “the African Union reiterates its support to Sahrawi people and their right to self-determination.” 

(Below) Dlamini-Zuma and Morocco’s King Mohammed VI were pictured together at the India-Africa Summit in New Delhi in October last year.

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