Tunisian government On Saturday said it has decided to recall ambassador to Morocco for consultations, after the kingdom did the same in response to Tunisia’s president hosting the Polisario movement’s leader, reported The France 24.
Notably, the Polisario is demanding an independent state in the Western Sahara, a vast stretch of mineral-rich desert which Morocco sees as a sovereign part of its own territory.
On Friday, Tunisian President Kais Saied hosted Polisario chief Brahim Ghali who arrived to attend the Japanese-African investment conference TICAD.
Morocco described it as a hostile and unnecessarily provocative act and immediately announced its decision to withdraw its Tunis ambassador for consultations and cancelled its own participation in the high-profile conference.
On Saturday, the Tunisian Foreign Ministry voiced its surprise at Morocco’s reaction. In a statement, the ministry said Tunisia has maintained its total neutrality on the Western Sahara issue in line with international law. It said that the position will not change until the concerned parties find a peaceful solution acceptable to all.
Morocco accused Tunisia’s government of unilaterally inviting the Polisario leader against Japan’s advice and in violation of the process of preparation and established rules.
But, on Saturday, the Tunisian government said a direct invitation was sent to the SADR, a member state, by the African Union to join the conference. It noted that it had attended previous such meetings alongside Morocco.
In a speech to TICAD delegates on Saturday, the African Union’s acting chairman Macky Sall said he regretted Morocco’s absence from the conference.
“We hope that this problem will find a solution for the smooth running of our partnership” between Africa and Japan, he said.
The move came as French President Emmanuel Macron paid a three-day visit to Morocco’s arch-rival and Polisario supporter Algeria. The visit was aimed at healing ties with the former French colony.
