South Sudan and the Saharawi Republic agree to re-establish diplomatic relations

The authorities of South Sudan and the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR) agreed on Tuesday to restore diplomatic relations "at the highest level" at a meeting on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly.

In this regard, both parties have decided to resume their friendly ties "in line with the principles and objectives of the African Union", as well as the "full harmony" that the two parties have due to their "common history of struggle".

The Vice President of South Sudan, Husain Abdelbaki Akun, met on Tuesday with the SADR Foreign Minister, Mohamed Salem Salek, in New York, where the signing of a document that marks "a new stage" and consolidates the relationship between the two countries took place.

The meeting between the two delegations was also attended by the South Sudanese ambassador to the UN, Akuei Bona Malwal, as well as the Polisario Front representative to the UN Sidi Mohamed Omar, according to a statement sent by the latter.

The former Spanish colony of Western Sahara was occupied by Morocco in 1975 despite the resistance of the Polisario Front, with whom it was at war until 1991, when both parties signed a cease-fire with a view to holding a referendum of self-determination, but differences over the elaboration of the census and the inclusion or not of the Moroccan settlers have so far prevented its convocation.

SADR was admitted as a member of the African Union in 1982, which is why Morocco has for many years been outside this regional forum. In 2017 Rabat decided to rejoin this organization.