Morocco recalls ambassador to Tunisia over visit by Saharan separatist leader

Brahim Ghali arrived in Tunis for Japanese summit on African development

The Tokyo International Conference on African Development is being held in Tunis and Tunisia says Brahim Mr Ghali was invited to attend the summit by the African Union. AFP

Morocco recalled its ambassador to Tunisia on Friday after Tunisian President Kais Saied received the head of a movement seeking independence for the Sahara region.

The Moroccan foreign ministry said Tunisia's decision to invite Polisario leader Brahim Ghali to a Japanese development summit for Africa in Tunis this weekend was "a serious and unprecedented act that deeply hurts the feelings of the Moroccan people and its forces".

Tunisia said on Saturday that it was recalling its ambassador to Rabat for consultation in response to Morocco's decision. Tunisia’s foreign ministry said the country maintained "neutrality” over the issue of Morocco’s Sahara region.

Morocco controls 80 per cent of the region while the rest is held by the Polisario movement, which fought a 15-year war with Morocco after Spanish forces withdrew in 1975 and demanded a referendum on independence.

Morocco has offered limited autonomy to the phosphate and fisheries-rich region but insists it must remain under its sovereignty.

On Friday, the Moroccan foreign ministry said the country would no longer take part in the Tokyo International Conference on African Development being hosted by Tunis.

It also accused Tunisia of having recently "multiplied negative positions" against Morocco, and said its decision to host Mr Ghali "confirms its hostility in a blatant way".

Tunisia’s foreign ministry said Mr Ghali was invited to attend the summit by the African Union, which recognises the Sahara region as a member although African states are split over both the Polisario and the territory's independence.

Mr Ghali had also received a direct invitation to the summit from the president of the African Commission, the ministry said.

It is not the first time that Mr Ghali's travels have sparked Moroccan anger.

He visited Spain in April last year to be treated for Covid-19, sparking a year-long diplomatic row between Spain and Morocco.

The dispute was resolved after Spain backed Morocco's plan for limited self-rule in the Sahara region, a former Spanish colony.