Comoros Rejects MoU Between SADC and Polisario, Reaffirms Full Support for Morocco’s Sovereignty Over the Sahara
ALDAR/
The Union of the Comoros has strongly denounced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the Executive Secretariat of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the self-proclaimed “Sahrawi Republic.” This rejection was expressed in a Verbal Note addressed by the Comorian Ministry of Foreign Affairs to the SADC Secretariat.
According to the official document, the ministry was “surprised” to learn about the signing of the agreement on April 2, 2025, at the SADC headquarters in Gaborone, Botswana, emphasizing that this action does not reflect the spirit of African consensus and contradicts the official position of the Comoros.
Through this note, the Comoros reaffirmed its consistent stance on the Moroccan Sahara issue, which it has expressed on multiple occasions, notably during a meeting between the Comorian Foreign Minister and his Moroccan counterpart, Nasser Bourita, on the sidelines of the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly. On that occasion, the Comorian minister reiterated his country’s unwavering support for the territorial integrity of the Kingdom of Morocco and its sovereignty over all of its territories, including the southern provinces.
The Comorian diplomacy also praised Morocco’s Autonomy Initiative, describing it as the only realistic and credible solution to end this artificial regional dispute. The Verbal Note emphasized that the Sahara issue falls exclusively under the jurisdiction of the United Nations Security Council and called for respect for international resolutions on the matter.
The Comoros also reiterated its commitment to African Union Decision 693, adopted during the 2018 Nouakchott Summit, which repositioned the Sahara file within its appropriate framework at the United Nations, helping shield the AU from political manipulation and attempts to disrupt its path toward unity and integration.
Furthermore, the Comorian government firmly rejected any attempts to involve SADC in this issue, arguing that such involvement oversteps the clearly defined geographical scope of the organization, which, as outlined in its founding charter, is limited to the Southern African region.
In conclusion, the Comorian Ministry of Foreign Affairs warned that SADC’s interference in the Sahara issue could undermine the credibility of the regional organization, calling for adherence to its founding principles and avoidance of political deviations.
It is worth noting that the Comoros was among the first countries to express tangible support for Morocco’s sovereignty over the Sahara by opening a General Consulate in the city of Laayoune on December 18, 2019—an act that clearly reflects its consistent and enduring commitment to Morocco’s territorial integrity.
