The AU summit in Nouakchott marks Morocco's substantial progress on the National Question. AU Commission President Moussa Faki Mahamat submitted this Sunday to the AU Heads of State and Government meeting in closed session in Nouakchott, the report mandated to implement according to Decision 653 adopted at July 2017 session.

The report recognizes the primacy of the UN process in managing the Sahara issue. Paragraph 20C states that: "The need for AU to include its approach in the framework of reinforced support to the efforts of the United Nations, to increase their chance of success. In other words, it would not be for the AU to develop a process parallel to that of the United Nations.

Likewise Recommendation 21B states that "The role of the AU should be aimed at supporting efforts of the United Nations and  Security Council. Moreover, the Personal Envoy of the United Nations Secretary-General has, since taking office, been conducting intensive consultations with the parties, who have expressed their commitment to cooperate".

The only reference in dealing with the issue will be the resolutions of the United Nations Security Council. Recommendation 21C emphasizes that "In accordance with this accompanying and supportive role, the Conference of the Union should provide effective support to the UN-led process, based on the relevant Security Council resolutions.

They have consistently called on the parties to resume negotiations under the auspices of the Secretary General, in good faith, with a view to achieving a just, lasting and mutually acceptable political solution in the context and principles set out in the United Nations Charter ".

The other organs of the AU, and particularly those that were being exploited by the opponents of Morocco  can't  treat this issue. Recommendation 21D emphasizes that "in order to ensure the necessary coherence, the Sahara issue would only be mentioned in this context and at this level", referring to the African Union Conference and to the level of the Heads of State.

The report accurately reflects the Moroccan position. It says in paragraph 12 that "the Moroccan authorities have reaffirmed the central role of the United Nations in the conduct of the negotiation process.

They cautioned against the risks of a parallel process, saying that by recognizing the so-called rasd, the AU had excluded itself from efforts to find a solution: according to Morocco, the Union, therefore, decided the debate on the status of the territory that the United Nations is trying to determine.

The report states that the Moroccan authorities have expressed their support for the efforts of the new Personal Envoy of the UN Secretary-General and their commitment to the UN-led negotiation process and that any settlement of the conflict requires the involvement of Algeria.

The report insists in para 17 on the crucial role that the Algerian and Mauritanian authorities can play in finding a solution.

The Chairperson of the African Union Commission urged the two countries to actively support the efforts to restart the negotiation process, adding that the conflict had lasted too long and that the current situation was impeding efforts of the African Union, integration within MAU and those aimed at more effectively promoting regional security.

The follow-up mechanism required in paragraph 21C was put in place by the Conference in the form of a troika composed of outgoing, incoming and current Chairs with the Chairperson of the African Union Commission. This mechanism has the advantage of the principles of continuity in the AU position and balance in its approaches based on the relevant Security Council resolutions.

-News and events on Western Sahara / Corcas-