Former OAU secretary general says all African presidents share responsibility in admission of sahrawi republic

Former secretary general of the Organization of African Unity, Togo's Edem Kodjo, refuses to shoulder alone responsibility for membership of Sahrawi puppet republic "SADR" and said all African heads of state should share the responsibility, calling them to draw conclusions since the entity does no longer enjoy majority at the Pan-African Organization.

Kodjo told MAP he did not have the authority to command all of Africa and it was the heads of state who endorsed the decision to admit the Algeria-backed self-proclaimed republic.

In 1984, recalls the former prime minister of Togo, a majority of OAU member states supported the membership of SADR but today the entity does no longer enjoy the majority and therefore the organization should draw conclusions.

He also expressed admiration for the Moroccan people unanimity over the Sahara issue. No Moroccan would say that the Sahara is not Moroccan, he insisted before regretting that he used to have many Moroccan friends who ignored him after the SADR admission affair.

Drawing the balance sheet of the Organization's 37 years of existence, he said it was successful in helping countries out of colonization but has failed in promoting the continent economic development and unity while sowing the seeds of division. He also cited among other failures of the organization the multiplication of conflicts in the continent.

Kodjo who attended as an observer the latest OAU summit in Togo which adopted African Union project said it was below African aspirations as it provides vaguely for a confederation.