Politics

Morocco denies applying to join BRICS

Published

1 year ago

August 19, 2023

North African country, Morocco has confirmed that it has not submitted a formal request to join the Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (BRICS) group of global emerging economies.

Morocco, through its state news agency, also revealed on Saturday that it would not attend the BRICS summit scheduled to hold in Johannesburg, South Africa next week.

Morocco would not attend the BRICS meeting in South Africa, the agency said, denying a statement by South Africa’s foreign minister, Anil Sooklal, who said earlier this month Morocco was among the nations seeking to join the bloc.

“South Africa allowed itself to speak about Morocco’s ties with the BRICS without prior consultation,” it said.

“South Africa has in fact always shown primary hostility towards Morocco and has systematically taken negative and dogmatic positions on the Moroccan Sahara issue.”

Relations between the two nations have been strained after South Africa’s diplomatic backing for the Polisario Front, which aligns with Algeria’s interests even as it seeks to create an independent state in Western Sahara, a region that Morocco claims as its own.

Some African nations have expressed interest to join the BRICS. Abdelmadjid Tebboune, the president of Algeria, was said to be interested in having his nation invest $1.5 billion to become a shareholding member of the BRICS Bank last month.

Ethiopia has requested membership, and according to Meles Alem, the foreign ministry’s spokeswoman, in a statement to the media in June, “We expect BRICS to give us a favourable response to the request we have made”.

Related Topics:BRICS Featured Morocco SouthAfrica

Click to comment

Politics

Burkina Faso releases 4 French spies after Moroccan intervention

Published

2 days ago

December 20, 2024

Ifeoluwa Dada

In a diplomatic spat over their imprisonment, France and Morocco announced Thursday that four French nationals detained in Burkina Faso for a year had been freed after mediation from Morocco.

They were spies, according to a prior statement made by the director of France’s foreign intelligence organisation, the DGSE.

A request for comment was not answered by the DGSE or a representative of the French military, which is in charge of the agency.

Since December 2023, they have been held in Ouagadougou.

President Emmanuel Macron hailed King Mohammed of Morocco on Wednesday for his intervention, “which made possible the liberation of our four countrymen who had been held in Burkina Faso for a year,” according to a statement from the French administration.

King Mohammed and President Ibrahim Traore of Burkina Faso were also commended by Morocco’s foreign ministry, which stated that “this humanitarian act” was made possible by their positive bilateral ties.

In October, France made peace with Morocco, one of its former protectorates, after three years of hostilities between Paris and Rabat stoked by immigration concerns and the disputed Western Sahara region.

Morocco offers Burkina Faso and other military-ruled Sahel republics Atlantic trade.

However, France’s relations with former West and Central African colonies, such as Burkina Faso, remain difficult. In Ouagadougou, French troops and diplomats were ejected, the defence attache and ambassador were asked to depart, and certain French media were suspended.

The military junta that took control in 2022 in Burkina Faso has been criticized by international rights groups for cracking down on free expression and harassing dissidents to handle a security crisis precipitated by Al Qaeda and Islamic State extremists.

Politics

Ghana: President-elect Mahama appoints anti-corruption team

Published

3 days ago

December 19, 2024

Ifeoluwa Dada

According to a statement released by his transition team on Wednesday, Ghana’s President-elect, John Dramani Mahama, has designated an anti-corruption committee to investigate allegations of wrongdoing.

When he takes office next month, Mahama, the leading opposition candidate in the presidential election held on December 7 and who received almost 56% of the vote, has pledged to reclaim the proceeds of corruption and hold those responsible for it accountable.

In anticipation, an anti-graft squad has been established. The parliament’s Committee on Assurances, which has previously raised suspicions of governmental corruption, is chaired by MP Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwah.

An investigative journalist, a private attorney, a former auditor general, and a former police officer with experience in high-profile robbery cases make up the other three members.

After looking into alleged financial irregularities that took place during the previous administration, Daniel Dumelovo, the former auditor general, was fired.

Recovering lost assets and fighting corruption were two of Mahama’s main campaign pledges.

“He intends to hit the ground running on these commitments,” the statement said.

Eight years after leaving office, former President Mahama is back to head the West African country. Despite not being personally contaminated, he faced criticism during his 2012–2016 administration due to claims of political corruption.