Former Spanish Defense Minister denounces Polisario’s accession to AU as an anomaly

Former Spanish Defense Minister José Bono Martinez denounced, Friday in Dakar, the accession of the Algeria-backed Polisario to the African Union (AU) as an “anomaly”.

“The AU recognizes an entity not recognized by the UN. This is an anomaly that does not occur in any other international organization,” Bono Martinez said at the 2nd International Conference for Dialogue and Peace in the Sahara, held October 27-28 in Dakar.

Bono Martinez called on the “wise men of the African continent” to support the Moroccan autonomy initiative to put an end to the dispute over the Sahara, an integrative solution which seeks coexistence, prosperity, and the dignity of its citizens.

Bono Martinez, who also served as Speaker of the Spanish Congress of Deputies, highlighted the growing support for the Moroccan autonomy initiative by world powers.

He highlighted the sustained development in the southern provinces of the Kingdom, and noted the active involvement of the inhabitants of the Moroccan Sahara in the management of their local affairs.

“I think I am not wrong in saying that the involvement of the inhabitants of the Sahara in the political life of the region is important. Their participation in the 2021 Moroccan elections exceeded the national average. I have not found a single politician in the municipalities or other administrations who is not from the Sahara,” he said.

The second international conference for dialogue and peace is held by the Sahrawi Movement for Peace (MSP), led by Lhaj Ahmed Barikalla, in collaboration with the Dakar-based African Center for Strategic Intelligence (CISPAIX).

It is attended by outstanding political personalities and searchers from Europe, Africa, and Latin America.

Besides the former Spanish Minister of Defense Jose Bono Martinez, other participants include former President of Burundi, Domitien Ndayizeye; former Foreign Minister Peru, Miguel Ángel Rodriguez Mackay; political scientist and President of the Argentine Institute of Strategic Studies, Adalberto Carlos Agozino, international experts, journalists, and notables from the Moroccan southern provinces.

Other figures are taking part in the event remotely. These include former Spanish Foreign Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos, and former Spanish Prime Minister Rodriguez Zapatero, who has regularly participated in the meetings of the SMP since its creation in 2020.

The first edition of the MSP international conference was held in September 2022 in Las Palmas, in the Canary Islands.