Russia-Africa Summit: Exclusion of Polisario Heralds its Inevitable Collapse

President Vladimir Putin has not invited the polisario separatist group, backed by Algeria, to the flagship first Russia-Africa Summit meant to increase Russia’s influence in the continent and to enhance its cooperation with African countries, while countering the growing presence of China.

The exclusion of the secessionists from this event, held Oct.23-24 in the city of Sochi, on the Black Sea Coast, has deepened further their international isolation and sent them a chilling message as the host country is a global superpower & a Security Council permanent member with veto power.

It seems that the Algerian regime has failed this time to secure the participation of the polisario in such an international gathering as Moscow decided to extend directly its invitations to its selected African hosts and not going through the African Union as in the China-Africa and India-Africa summits organized in partnership with the AU.

The Algerians used to exploit this framework to ensure a seat for the separatists so that they can carry on their hostile campaign against Morocco and its territorial integrity.

But in the Sochi Summit, the polisario was not invited and could not register as the Kremlin invited leaders of 47 countries including Morocco which was represented by a high level delegation, led by Head of Govt Saad Eddine El Othmani.

It must be very hard and painful for the separatists to see that all African leaders are gathering in the Russian city of Sochi and discussing partnership projects, while they have been cornered.

This comes few days after the remarks made by former secretary general of the ruling FLN party, Amar Saadani who openly recognized the Moroccan sovereignty over the Sahara, deploring that his country has squandered billions of dollars on Polisario which failed to get out of the deadlock.

The money spent on the Polisario during the past five decades and with which the separatist leaders enjoyed stays at luxury hotels should have gone to the Southern Algerian cities, stressed Mr. Amar, affirming that it is high time to end the Sahara issue.

According to some analysts, the stand voiced again by the former FLN chief is shared by several other influential Algerian politicians and its timing is all the more important as it takes place as pro-democracy protests continue in Algeria and in the South in Tindouf camps where frustrated and oppressed Sahraouis are standing up against polisario leadership.

This tumultuous juncture is expected to yield changes regarding Algeria’s support to the polisario, while Morocco’s autonomy plan for the Sahara continues to gain international acclaim as it offers an enduring, credible and pragmatic political solution to this regional conflict.