Libya wishes end to causes behind Morocco's withdrawal from Organization of African Unity

A Libyan official wished Sunday for an end to causes that were behind Morocco's withdrawal from the Organization of African Unity (OAU), a reference to the admission within the African Organization in 1984 of the self-proclaimed Sahrawi republic, prompting Morocco to withdraw.

Secretary general of the Libyan popular committee for African affairs, Ali Triki, whose country is hosting next Wednesday and Thursday an extraordinary OAU summit, hoped at a press conference that circumstances that were behind Morocco's withdrawal would disappear, especially that a referendum is projected in the Sahara.

The Libyan official went on that Morocco, which is one of the founders of the pan-African organization and a country that helped in independence of several African countries, has an important place within the organization.

On his part, the OAU spokesman, Brahim Dakkach, said Morocco's withdrawal from OAU is only provisional, hoping that this issue will be settled soon so that Morocco reintegrates the organization.

However, in a statement to MAP, the spokesman said the African heads of state do not have on their summit agenda the exclusion of the so-called Sahrawi republic.

He went on that several African countries are making efforts to reach a consensus solution.

Last week, Morocco called the Organization of African unity to conform to international legality by withdrawing membership to the Sahrawi republic, describing the present situation at the OAU as abnormal since inhabitants of one of its member states have not yet expressed their choice whether they want to establish a state or live within the homeland (Morocco).

Several African countries, including Burkina Faso, Benin, Congo, Burundi, Cape Verde, Chad, and Seychelles withdrew their recognition of the so-called SADR entity.