The African Union at the heart of tension between Algeria and Morocco

The Algerian Minister of Foreign Affairs has finally responded to Morocco's rejection of the Peace and Security Council of the African Union recent communiqué devoted entirely to the question of Western Sahara. Sabri Boukadoum welcomed the statement, describing it as «very important» and «an achievement in establishing peace in North Africa», APS reported.

«The UN is not the only one in charge of this issue but also the African Union which today recovered this cause that interests above all two African States», he argued. For the record, members of the Peace and Security Council recognize, in the press release publsihed on March 18 , «the need for the African Union to play its role in bringing about a just and durable solution to the conflict in Western Sahara».

To the Algerian minister the «decision was adopted unanimously by all the member states (...) without any reservation from any participating state». Boukadoum thus responds to remarks made on Friday March 19 by the Moroccan Minister of Foreign Affairs during a joint press briefing with his Guinean counterpart Ibrahim Khalil Kaba.

«During these 10 days, the majority of the Council had rejected in writing its conclusions (...) This meeting of the PSC has already been marred by several irregularities and raises many questions about its context, its aims and its ulterior motives», Nasser Bourita stressed.