CAIRO — In a lengthy letter to a recent African Union (AU) summit in Rwanda, King Mohammed VI of Morocco declared his country’s intention to once again become a member of the union. Morocco withdrew from the AU’s predecessor, the Organization of African Unity (OAU), 32 years ago in protest of the group's support for the Polisario Front separatist movement and OAU's recognition of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR).

The king’s July 17 message wasn’t void of reproach and blame toward the AU for its support of SADR, which has been a conflict zone since the Polisario was founded in 1973 to liberate Western Sahara from what it deemed “Moroccan colonialism.” However, the king did not explicitly call for the suspension of SADR’s membership as a condition of Morocco’s return to the AU.

Referring to Morocco’s anger over the AU’s support for SADR, Mohammed said, “That immoral fait accompli, that coup against international legality, led the Kingdom of Morocco to seek to avoid the division of Africa, and the price Morocco had to pay was the painful decision to leave its institutional family.” Yet, the king wrote, “On reflection, it has become clear to us that when a body is sick, it is treated more effectively from the inside than from the outside. … Morocco firmly believes in the wisdom of the AU and its ability to restore legality and correct mistakes along the way.”

An official at the AU general secretariat told Al-Monitor, on condition of anonymity, “The AU general secretariat is concerned that Morocco wants to return in order to argue the SADR issue from within the AU.” The official added, “Of course the African family welcomes Morocco’s return, but no one wants any debates or diplomatic disputes between member states. We want to work together for the benefit of the continent.”