Kenya’s new President, William Ruto, said on Wednesday (14 September) that the east African country was cutting diplomatic ties with the self-proclaimed Saharan Arab Republic (SADR) after talks with Morocco. The break comes nearly 24 hours after William Ruto’s inauguration ceremony, which was attended by Polisario Front leader Brahim Ghali in Nairobi.
The Algerian-backed Polisario Front wants an independent state in Western Sahara, a vast desert area that Morocco considers part of its own territory. “Kenya is revoking its recognition of SADR and is taking steps to reduce the presence of this entity in the country,” William Ruto said on Twitter after meeting Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita.
“Find a permanent solution”
Nasser Bourita brought him a message of congratulations from King Mohammed VI. of Morocco, William Ruto said, adding that the two countries had agreed to improve their ties “in the areas of trade, agriculture, health, tourism and energy, among others.” “Kenya supports the UN framework as the exclusive mechanism to find a lasting solution to the dispute,” President Ruto said. A former Spanish colony, Western Sahara lies at the western end of the vast desert of the same name, which stretches along the Atlantic coast.
The Polisario, which proclaimed SADR in 1976, continues to call for a UN-scheduled referendum to be held at the time of the signing of a ceasefire between the warring factions in 1991, with the support of Algeria. Since then, 84 UN member states have recognized SADR. But the issue of the region’s status remains deadlocked, and Morocco has built sand walls topped with barbed wire that still surround 80% of the region.
Read alsoKenya, the cradle of Elizabeth II’s reign, is close to London
Rabat opposes any vote proposing independence as an option, arguing that for regional security reasons only autonomy is on the table. The UN, which considers Western Sahara a “non-self-governing territory” in the absence of a final settlement, has deployed a peacekeeping mission there. The African Union recognizes the Sahrawi Arab Republic as one of its members.