African Union council calls for direct dialogue between Morocco and Polisario

The Peace and Security Council of the African Union has called for direct dialogue between Morocco and the Polisario Front with regard to the issue of the Western Sahara, Quds Press reported on Friday.

The council, which is headed by Ismail Sharki of Algeria, hailed the return of Morocco to membership of the African Union, and pointed out that dialogue should be the next step between what are now both AU members. “They should start serious direct and unconditional talks based on article 4 of the internal constitution of the organisation,” he insisted.

Sharki hailed the involvement of the two sides in the discussions of the Legislative Committee of the African Union, but added, “It is worrying that all the efforts aiming to find a solution for the Western Sahara issue have not led to the expected results after 50 years of ending the occupation.”

Quds Press also reported an online Moroccan news outlet which said that the AU body called for “regular monitoring” of the situation in the Western Sahara, to organise a “field visit” during 2017 and for the African Union Commission to take “immediate” measures to reopen its office in Layoun in Morocco.