Thursday, March 28, 2024

Controversy as Morocco’s King Mohammed VI plans to visit Zambia in early December

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King Mohammed VI of Morocco
King Mohammed VI of Morocco

King Mohammed VI of Morocco will continue his African tour by paying a visit to Nigeria and Zambia in early December after his official visits to Ethiopia and Madagascar this month.

Zambia’s handling of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic and its relationship with Morocco is likely to become a huge diplomatic embarrassment after a series of U-turns by senior PF government officials over the matter.

Historically, Zambia has always recognised Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic independence efforts with First Republican President Dr Kenneth Kaunda being the first African leader to visit Sahrawi.

In February 2016, President Edgar Lungu accepted letters of credence from Mr Brahim Salam El Mami, Ambassador of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic and assured Ambassador El-Mami that Zambia has always supported the Sahrawi people’s indisputable right to self-determination and independence.

Zambia’s handling of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic and its relationship with Morocco is likely to become a huge diplomatic embarrassment after a series of U-turns by senior PF government officials over the matter.
president-edgar-lungu-chats-with-ambassador-of-the-saharawi-arab-democratic-republic-brahim-salam-el-mami
President Edgar Lungu chats with ambassador of the Saharawi Arab-democratic republic Brahim- Salam-el-mami

Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic or Western Sahara is the remaining country under colonisation under a fellow African country, Morocco and is a desert country lying between Algeria, Morocco and Mauritania.

But on July 10, 2016, a month before the August 2016, Foreign Affairs Minister Harry Kalaba announced that Zambia has cut ties with Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic.

During a joint press conference with the Moroccan Minister Delegate to the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation Nasser Bourita in Rabbat, Mr Kalaba said Zambia will withdraw recognition of Sahrawi and severe all diplomatic ties with the Algeria-backed separatist group.

But on October 7th 2016, President Lungu assured Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic Foreign Affairs Minister Salem Ould Salek when he paid a courtesy call on him at State House that Zambia remained committed to strengthening relations with Sahrawi for the mutual benefit of the two countries.

Morocco’s King Mohammed VI used the country’s hosting of UN meeting of states parties on climate change (COP 22) in Marrakesh recently to lobby African leaders at the Africa Action summit on the margins of the UN meeting to readmit Morocco into the AU.

Neither Mohammed VI nor his father Hassan II have attended an AU summit since Morocco walked out of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) in 1984 in protest at the recognition of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (RASD) by the continental organisation.

Mohammed VI, however, is making every effort to ensure that this changes and he has been busy courting African leaders in the past six months having six African countries since asking to be re-admitted to the AU in September.

The surprise decision by Mohamed VI for the return of Morocco was announced at the AU summit in Kigali in July where 28 African countries signed a petition for the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic to be expelled from the AU, to pave the way for Morocco to join.

For the past few decades, Morocco has refused to sit in any international meetings alongside the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic.

For the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic to be expelled, however, Morocco and its supporters, mostly in Francophone West and Central Africa, would need a two-thirds majority.

It won’t be straightforward, however. Heavyweight countries like South Africa and Algeria, backed by countries like Zimbabwe and Equatorial Guinea, are determined that the issue of Morocco’s continued claim over the Western Sahara be resolved before letting the kingdom into the AU.

Lifting the occupation of Western Sahara is seen as “the last anti-colonial struggle” to be fought by the AU.
Pro-Moroccan media have accused AU Commission Chairwoman Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma of wanting to “sabotage” Morocco’s plans.

According to AU rules, if an African country asks to join the organisation, the commission’s chair should send a letter to all member states and if a majority agrees, the issue will be tabled at the AU Assembly.

The request for adhesion was officially received by the AU Commission on September 22, but the letter was only sent out on November 3, a delay some believe was intentional.

The pro-Morocco camp is banking on Dlamini Zuma’s successor being more favourable to Morocco.

One of the frontrunners, Abdoulaye Bathily, the former UN special representative for Central Africa, is from Senegal, one of the strongest advocates for Morocco’s membership and for expelling the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic.

Kenyan Foreign Minister, Amina Mohamed, another strong contender, is also seen to be in favour of Morocco’s adhesion.

president-lungu-with-sahrawi-arab-democratic-republic-minister-of-foreign-affairs-mohamed-salem-ould-salek-at-state-house
President- Lungu with Sahrawi Arab democratic republic minister of-foreign-affairs Mohamed Salem Ould Salek at state-house

56 COMMENTS

  1. Who gave Kalaba the right to break ties with Sahrawi on our behlaf? It seems ministers are allowed to cut and form relations with other countries at a whim.Parliament should make this decision keeping Zambia’s interests at heart. We can see President Lungu cosy with Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic leaders and yet he will host the Moroccan King also.

    • Best Kalaba and Lungu can do is to suspend all discussions between Morocco vs that other country without national soccer team.
      PF has worse mess to attend, all powerful ministers are leaving; Chikwanda, Syambikula, Kambwili, Luo, Margaret. If Edgar leave all those problems to Inonge, he is risking that she will decide to be Prime minister of Barotseland, our Sahwari Republic.

    • “I have heard that it was of him that the apostle said, “Whoever wants to see Satan let him take a look at Nabtal b. al-Harith!” He was a sturdy black man with long flowing hair, inflamed eyes, and dark ruddy cheeks. He used to come and talk to the apostle and listen to him and then carry what he had said to the hypocrites. It was he who said: “Muhammad is all ears: if anyone tells him anything he believes it.” God sent down concerning him: “And of them are those who annoy the prophet and say he is all ears, Say: Good ears for you. He believes in God and trusts the believers and is a mercy for those of you who believe; and those who annoy the apostle of God for them there is a painful punishment.” (Sura 9:61)

    • Honestly if you want progressive dialogues – stick to the West.
      This is blood-curdling.

      To memory not long ago – Morocco ‘s adopted constitution was what they termed a Constitutional Monarchy.
      It change form the more hailed Democracy and in the adopted system, where it is claimed certainly from the main abstract from it as not a Democratic country.

      The current King, who will visit your shores has been quoted as not care’ about democracy. He prefers the Constitutional monarchy which though controversial is now accepted as the ruling form of system of governance.

      So Lungu after flirting with 7 Years , which he has refused to distance himself is now enthralling the King of Morocco?

      I know where this is heading to

      Thanks

      BB2014

    • Kaluba was at my school and ahead of me St clement secondary school. In term one he was suspended for being found in the toilet with a grade 8 Michael kangwa. This was in 1993 he was suspended for 4 months. How do you allow chaps who is found naked with a grade 8 in toilet at 23 hours to be your Foreign minister sure ?

      Suspicions at school was that it was the second time he was seen with a young not. I’m not bitter just pointing out that he is not ministerial level. He is year older then me he was born in 1976.

    • Even Cabinda should not be colonized by Angola.

      Why should Angola continue to colonize Cabinda, a Country perched between DRC & Congo Brazaville?
      Cabinda ethno-cultural uniqueness is enough basis for self-determination. Angolan to connection to Cabinda is simply its selfishness for Cabinda oilfields resulting from a stupid 1977 merger treaty. A treaty is made by men & can be changed by men. Angola must also let go Sao Tome & Principe.

      Tanganyika shud also let go Zanzibar. U can’t hav a man-made union where Tanganyika always produces Presidents & Zanzibar only Veeps as if its biblical. Equally NER shud seperate with South West Rhodesia(SWR) since “Bambi tabaka tekepo = Others can never rule”.
      Don’t just cling to SWR for its mineral wealth!

    • Should read as:

      Angolan connection to Cabinda is simply its selfishness for Cabinda oilfields resulting from a stupid 1977 merger treaty.

    • I will not be surprised to hear that the Moroccans donated to the PF campaign in exchange for dumping the Sahrawi Arab democratic republic. This is what happens when you have jokers in govt who do not know whether they are moving forward or backwards.

    • Kalaba probably got a bribe, & with money burning a hole in his pocket decided to unilaterally declare without Chairman Chagwa’s approval
      Typical P.F official/ Cadre behaviour.

    • @Chalwe Nsofwa, haha – so “Kaluba” must join the long queue of coaches, priests, and celebrities who have pounced on rump!! Basically fashioning intimacy in unfashionable manner… Thanks for the exposee!

    • I do not know why you are interested in the Sahara issue till this extent. This file does not matter anything for Zambia. This is not a national nor a regional issue for Zambia. what’s more worthy is to interest more in searching for investors and provide the ideal atmosphere for attracting them in order to create jobs. The Sahara issue will be solved through the United Nations not through Zambia. Western Sahara does not exist in reality, there is no country called western sahara in UN. even the League of Arab States does not recognize them. so how those separatists want to creat an Arab republic of Sahrawi while the Arab states do not recognize them? what’s the benefit of supporting the separatists of Sahrawi while Zambia have the same problem with Barotsland?

  2. these are arabs you dealing with. why do you waste time with them. expel them both from africa. the only time they want to be cosy with africans is when they want to use you. these are the same slave traders that sold you and still sell you, and you there smiling with them. You have no friends, the best friend you will ever have is the one that stairs at you when you look in a mirror, in other words, an african/black person. abashala aba are nothing but opportunists and pretenders trying to use you for their own personal gain. heed my words!!!!!

    • @2 zagaze, YOU HAVE HIT THE NAIL ON ITS HEAD! This is the message most of us black Africans miss! Look at the folly of the Francophone countries.. I think France has coerced them into siding with Morocco since Algeria is too which supports polisario is independent minded and fought with them fierce war for independence. YOUR MESSAGE IS WHAT WE NEED TO REALIZE WE AFRICANS- WE HAVE NO FRIENDS BUT OURSELVES AND YET WE ARE SO MUCH ENEMIES TO OURSELVES!!Where in the WORLD is BLACK PERSON RESPECTED AND OPENLY WELCOME?? THESE ARABS,ASIANS (Chinese,Japanese..etc) INDIANS,SOUTH AMERICANS (Latinos) just WANT TO GAIN ADVANTAGE OVER BLACKS AND ARE ALWAYS IN COLLUSION WITH WHITES WHENEVER OPPORTUNITY ARISES!! WE MUST WATCH OUT!!

    • The problem with our opposition is that they oppose everything. These are Arabs and not blacks and given a choice I would go for one who can bring development to Zambia not some nondescript rebel held enclave. We supported liberation wars only to be rewarded with woes and endless suffering.

    • The little king of morocco thinks he ca dictate the black africans. This little king become suddenly a mouse in the presence of his French and American and saudi masters. He should not even set foot on our soil. He his king among the morccan *****s like him. He should first develop his won country where pedophilia, drugs prostitution, illiteray and poverty are irking the poor. More than 55 percent of the population is illiterate in morocco. Recently the little king allowed a spanish pedophile who raped more than 40 boys to go free. what kind of little king is this

    • I do not know why you are interested in the Sahara issue till this extent. This file does not matter anything for Zambia. This is not a national nor a regional issue for Zambia. what’s more worthy is to interest more in searching for investors and provide the ideal atmosphere for attracting them in order to create jobs. The Sahara issue will be solved through the United Nations not through Zambia. Western Sahara does not exist in reality, there is no country called western sahara in UN. even the League of Arab States does not recognize them. so how those separatists want to creat an Arab republic of Sahrawi while the Arab states do not recognize them? what’s the benefit of supporting the separatists of Sahrawi while Zambia have the same problem with Barotsland?

  3. There is nothing wrong in meeting both warring parties even if you give full support of one of them.
    Recognizing Western Sahara does not mean that you are enemies with Morocco. Us Zambians are very good at condemning and talking all the time. Please let us think through issues about our nation with open minds.

    • We should give Arabs a wide berth. They are not friends to black people. More than white slavers, Arabs annihilated the black slaves they got out of Africa by castrating the men. Have you ever wondered what happened to the African slaves taken out of East Africa by Arabs? At least in the west, African-Americans and other blacks in South America and the West Indies are thriving, though discriminated, communities. Not so in Arab countries.

    • @3.1 Buck teeth ,.. that is the info most people including blind islam followers have never wanted to ask for ! The arab slavers even killed their slaves when they grew old and their was not time to be free from captivity like “free slaves” as it were in the US. They kept them in bondage until death and never allowed to marry and have children. Kaunda was friend to them but never never gave them a free will in Zambia. With these guys … we need to worry! All the time talking Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Morocco…etc. Our Geopolitical position is very strategic for spreading influence in the region so we should be careful which forces we embrace!

  4. The BEST THING IS TO LISTEN TO BOTH OF THEM and CONTINUOUSLY REMIND THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY TO IMPLEMENT THE UN RESOLUTION on Western Sahara! Morrocco is investing in solar energy so it will not be bad to have them in Zambia and transfer some of the Technology but they need to be REMINDED THAT WE HAVE AN OBLIGATION TO RESPECT THE UN RESOLUTION THAT CALLS FOR REFERENDUM ON THE SELF DETERMINATION OF WESTERN SAHARA. It is NOT our making but the UN, a body to which even Morocco itself belongs!!

  5. Morocco king is on a tour to spread Islam and jihardism in all parts of Africa.Soon Zambia will be infested with a lot of Muslims.Yaba…

  6. I have absolutely no idea what this fixation with Arab nations is with the PF government other than to speculate that there is a monetary target that is illicitly ignoring a lot of moral and ethical matters. Please be careful of what you are crafting at the moment. That group you are moving towards is murderous, incorrigible and self-serving. Don’t say you were not warned. Money is not everything. KK for all his shortcomings demonstrated what it meant to hold the dignity of a nation above pecuniary advantage. We are losing the plot people. Focus.

  7. Zambians MUST remain firm against the forces of colonialism such as those headed by Morocco and other imperialists. We must not falter just because we are broke. Remember that we are broke because of having put in place of leadership a visionless leadership and one with no brains for financial management. Our country and resources are at risk. They plan to sell our resources and assets for pennies thus depriving us and our children the heritage that God gave us. Arabs must not be trusted. Especially SUNNIs. We can all see how they have destroyed Syria, and are busy undermining Iran and Iraq with the assistance of imperialist forces. Zambia must realize that our existence is owed to ourselves. If we sell our souls to the devil, we will reap the fruits coming from a devil!

    • This file does not matter anything for Zambia. This is not a national nor a regional issue for Zambia. what’s more worthy is to interest more in searching for investors and provide the ideal atmosphere for attracting them in order to create jobs. The Sahara issue will be solved through the United Nations not through Zambia. Western Sahara does not exist in reality, there is no country called western sahara in UN. even the League of Arab States does not recognize them. so how those separatists want to creat an Arab republic of Sahrawi while the Arab states do not recognize them? what’s the benefit of supporting the separatists of Sahrawi while Zambia have the same problem with Barotsland?

  8. Disappointing to see how Africans still fall in the trap of defining themselves based on colour or colonial lines. Morocco is one of the oldest countries in Africa and has helped many African nations to become independent including Algeria. It is sad to see how little respect its African brothers are giving it. All should recognize the irony of Africans using colonial definitions of borders to create a nation from air. The Western Sahara has never existed before and its original inhabitants are the Moroccan Amazigh tribes and not the Arab nomads who have teamed up with the ungrateful Algerian military dictators to steal land. Let’s please stop defining our African history based on how the blue eye masters have told us to do.

  9. Most people do not know that Morocco does not entertain the Arab league. They are one country that do their own thing. A great inspiration.

  10. If Changwa keeps on ducking and diving like this, I urge King Mohammed VI of Morocco to just go ahead and recognize Barotseland as an independent country from Zambia. This will teach baKaboke aba na mwinaChipata wabo Chagwa a lesson.

  11. PF Foreign Policy = Chipante-pante – one day polisario is our friend next its morocco
    PF Energy Policy = Chipante-pante – Load-shedding is the norm
    PF Land allocation Policy = Chipante-pante – Cadres illegally allocating land
    PF Anti-corruption Policy = Chipante-pante
    PF Tourism Policy = Chipante-pante
    PF Fiscal Policy = Chipante-pante
    PF Agricultural Policy = Chipante-pante
    PF Elections Policy = Chipante-pante
    PF Mining Policy = Chipante-pante
    PF Taxation Policy = Chipante-pante
    PF Welfare Policy = Chipante-pante
    PF Youth & Sports Policy = Chipante-pante

    It’ll take 100 years to fix PF00L blunders after they leave office

    • PF Anti-corruption Policy = Chipante-pante – Only enemies of LUNGU are investigated
      PF Tourism Policy = Chipante-pante – One day hunting lions is banned next its lifted
      PF Fiscal Policy = Chipante-pante – One day u r borrowing billions, next u r running to IMF
      PF Agricultural Policy = Chipante-pante – One day u ban maize exports, next u lift ban.
      PF Elections Policy = Chipante-pante – in 2015 it takes 8hrs for lusaka results to be announced, in 2016 it takes 4 days (even after Shangombo)
      PF Mining Policy = Chipante-pante – One day u have windfall tax, next day its gone
      PF Taxation Policy = Chipante-pante – ZRA targets Poor cross-border women traders & ignores mining firms who r under-invoicing exports & over-invoicing imported equipment in order to claim more VAT rebates
      PF…

    • CONT’D
      PF Taxation Policy = Chipante-pante – ZRA targets Poor cross-border women traders & ignores mining firms who r under-invoicing exports & over-invoicing imported equipment in order to claim more VAT rebates. ZRA now owes KCM over $1Billion after the shrewd indians capitalized on the dullness of ZRA.
      PF Welfare Policy = Chipante-pante – Ma-rubb!sh yeka-yeka
      PF Youth & Sports Policy = Chipante-pante – Ma-tuvi yeka-yeka

  12. What a government you people have? Shame on you Edgar Lungu, shame on you Harry Kalaba! You can eat but don’t sell the soul of this nation. Lots of lives were lost to save Africa.. If there is anything I’m most proud of for being Zambian is our principled stance against occupation. The Sahrawis have the right to self determination.

  13. You dummy, all African live under zero, and you have all word richness from diamonds, gold and iron….. And your president sell all that to west for couple bags of rice and flower, African people live below pauvrety, illness, what can I say about your houses no water no hospitals, no routes no bridges and as I know your presidents family live in Europe with your money and Africa richness, and here you are talking about Morocco the only civilization in all africa, morocco who don’t have oil, diamonds and gold mine and live better then any European country because of they king, learn the lecon and weak up you are acting like camel you see just your neighbor back but never yours, most of you don’t have nothing to do and looking to scam on internet because you are losers, sahrawi are…

    • Stop lying Charlatan,since did Morocco became better than Europe.Morocco is not even a country,it’s king mohammad’s property just like Saudi Arabia is to the Saudi family.It’s better to be poor and free than to be a fat slave.

    • @ common sense: Morocco is the arrival light to Africa. Morocco is back to Africa under the strategy of winner-winner unlike other countries that want to exploit your mineral resources and mines and all assets you got.
      You should hear what Issa Hayatou Said how Morocco is able to organize a World Cup. Moroccan are building their country in silent and they invest in Human Resources and new technologies and education. Morocco is a safe country, and where illegal Africans have got their documents and become legal and have rights.
      Go do some research about Morocco online or on BBC or cnn or Newsweek Magazine or On YouTube thousands of documentaries about Morocco.

  14. Thank you for sporting light on the conflict of western sahara . Last African conoly since 1795 we were invaded by our neighbors who has no value . They use their classic army ard high moroccan population to invade our land no country around the whole world recognized the sovergnity of Morocco on western sahara . According to international world western sahara is non-independent province ban ki moon in his last visit last year to saharwi refugee camps declared that the Morocco existence in western sahara is occupation . 25 years waiting for referendum since the cease-fire treaty made by UN in 1991 . Why Morocco left the African union in 1984 . And why wanna came no with no respect of the rules and law of African union why after all this time Morocco came with conditions . Morocco feels…

    • @16 sahara libre
      Isn’t Western Sahara, as is much of the rest of Africa, an illegitimate child of the Partitioning of Africa by greedy Europeans? If so, on which grounds is it being determined that the enclave is not historically, a part of Morocco? What is Morocco’s side of the story? I am curious that Morocco did not occupy the whole of Western Sahara, to start with? On which grounds did is choose to occupy only the portion it did? What is the history behind all this, considering that Africa’s borders are, by-and-large, artificial?

    • @16 sahara libre
      This issue has dragged for far too long. Is it because we have been indignant to think it through and arrive at an amicable solution, that it has taken thus long to resolve? As a top UN diplomat, Ban Ki Moon, has to sound politically correct. It’s what he is paid to do. By contrast, we are not bound by he same restrictions. Let’s call a spade, a spade. What is Morocco’s argument? What is their position?

  15. there was never an arab sahraoui land in north africa,land of the berber native people who are not arab and don´t like this arrogant slavers,we berbers are proud being africans first.
    that´s why this polisario thing is a dead matter,morocco is a an african land and will always be,no matter what this arab sahraoui algerian agents tell you.

  16. It’s saddening to read such a biased article feeding misinformation to people.

    First of all, Morocco is one of the oldest civilisations in North Africa, 12 centuries of recorded history, and the only country in North Africa to conquer Europe and repel the Ottoman colonialism.

    Morocco has a rich ethnic diversity given it used to cover a wide part of Northwestern Africa till 1912. Some comments are talking about racism, black people in Morocco are called Moroccans, not Black Moroccans or Black Africans.

    Regarding the African movement of independence, Morocco has never been afraid to stand with its neighbours for their freedom of colonialism, we used to send money and arms to Algeria, Mauritania, Mali and even train soldiers and pilot fighters from countries as far as South Africa…

    • You are a maroqi – the ruling family of morocco comes from Saudi Arabia, and therefore you should return you and your king to saudi arabia. Africa is for africans.

  17. Reminds me of the China-Taiwan saga.What these countries should do is that if they do not want to recognize a certain country’s sovereignity they should not involve others

  18. Zambia should vote for Kenya’s Amina Mohamed as next AU chairperson.To hell with the rest, those north Africans are not really our friends or African brothers.

  19. I do not know why you are interested in the Sahara issue till this extent. This file does not matter anything for Zambia. This is not a national nor a regional issue for Zambia. what’s more worthy is to interest more in searching for investors and provide the ideal atmosphere for attracting them in order to create jobs. The Sahara issue will be solved through the United Nations not through Zambia. Western Sahara does not exist in reality, there is no country called western sahara in UN. even the League of Arab States does not recognize them. so how those separatists want to creat an Arab republic of Sahrawi while the Arab states do not recognize them? what’s the benefit of supporting the separatists of Sahrawi while Zambia have the same problem with Barotsland? isn’t it better to be…

    • isn’t it better to be neutral in the matter of African conflicts? why should Zambia recognize Western Sahara as a country before the UN do so? If there is a country called Republic of Sahrawi then tell me how can I get the visa to visit it? and how many embassies they have around the world ? ARAB REPUBLIC OF SAHRAWI does NOT EXIST in REALITY !

  20. To the one called David (2.4), afraid to show his real name and his true face. You touch through your *****ic reactions the Moroccan people and his king. You are only a person with physical and intellectual abilities weak by nature or as a result of infirmities or age; lacking in intelligence. The statistics you post come from your evil mind and the climate from which you live. Go spit out your obscure and hateful ideas to your street colleagues and let the Moroccan and Zambian people react to their projects. finaly, the what called ” Arab republic of sahrawi” can never exist, may be only in your mind.

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