Western Sahara invite leads to diplomatic dispute

A meeting Friday between Tunisian President Kais Saied and Western Sahara independence advocate Brahim Ghali provoked Morocco to recall its ambassador to Tunis this weekend. Ghali was in Tunis for the Japanese-African investment conference TICAD and the Polisario leader was invited in the framework of its membership in the African Union. Now Tunisia is bringing its ambassador back from Morocco for consultations- with an official statement that it has always maintained its total neutrality on the Western Sahara issue in line with international law. The 2020 proclamation by former US president Donald Trump recognizing Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara was a result of the so-called Abraham Accords in which Rabat secured approval of its claims to the disputed territory in exchange for establishing full ties with Israel. Tunisan analyst Mabrouka Khedir told A24 that the crisis is ill timed. “We are now in need of Maghreb cohesion more than ever,” said Khedir.”We are a great economic power that can turn towards stronger eastern economic partners if we unite.”