The Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) on Thursday opened a consulate in Western Sahara, joining African and Arab countries that have established diplomatic missions there is a sign of support for Morocco’s claim to the disputed territory.
The Dominican Republic’s Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit said he opened the consulate in Dakhla on behalf of Eastern Caribbean member states, a joint statement from the Dominican Republic and Morocco said.
The Algeria-backed Polisario front seeks to establish an independent state in the vast and sparsely populated desert region, considered by Morocco as its own land. Gaining international recognition for its rule over Western Sahara has long been Morocco’s prime diplomatic ambition.
Rabat has said the most it can offer as a political solution to the dispute is autonomy under its sovereignty. The Polisario and its ally Algeria reject this and say they want an independence referendum.
For years, most countries had backed the idea of a referendum to resolve the issue – which was agreed as part of the 1991 ceasefire.
However, there was never agreement on how the vote would take place and, in recent years, even the UN has stopped referring to the idea of a vote, speaking instead of seeking a realistic, mutually acceptable solution based on compromise.
Source: Reuters
In other news – Tebogo Thobejane joins Diep City
Tebogo Thobejane is overly excited as she will be back on the screen soon. The star has officially joined Diep City and she is ready to pursue her first love which is acting.
Tebogo was asked why she exit from SABC2’s Muvhango but refused to answer as she played the character of a wedding planner, Belinda. Learn more
