Akufo-Addo’s Betrayal of the People of the Saharawi Arab Democratic Republic & Africa

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Our attention has been drawn to a note stamped on 6 January 2025 (yesterday) with reference number
SCR/PO/SADR, purporting to be from Ghana’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Relations.
The Note purports to “..suspend diplomatic relations with SADR” as part of “an effort to find an
acceptable solution to the Western Sahara dispute under the auspices of the United Nations”.

This document is another dastardly parting shot from the Akufo-Addo Administration to the Mahama
Administration that assumed office today, 7 January 2025. It seeks to disrupt long-standing national,
subregional, and continental solidarity with SADR in its anti-colonial struggles. It aims to advance the
interests of the Western imperialist bloc, particularly France and Israel, along with its agent
(Morocco), who have held the People of the Saharawi Arab Democratic Republic in colonial slavery
since the European colonialists (principally Spain) pulled out of Western Sahara on February 28,
1976.

The Polisario Front’s declaration of a Saharawi Arab Democratic Republic in February 1976
precipitated a bloody military campaign by a new coloniser, Morocco, against the People of Western
Sahara and domestic suppression of widespread dissent in Morocco itself. Eventually, the two sides
agreed a ceasefire on September 6, 1991. Several UN resolutions have called for a peaceful
referendum amongst the People of the SADR to settle the territory’s status. For over three decades,
Rabat has frustrated all efforts to hold such a referendum and has increased the intensity of its
repression of the Saharawi People, many of whom are forced to live in concentration camps in the
Sahara desert. After endless betrayals by the Moroccan monarchy, the People of Saharawi Republic,
on November 13, 2020, announced the resumption of armed struggle to achieve final independence
from Moroccan colonialism. Continental revulsion at Morocco’s violent colonialism is the reason
why that country cannot participate in the African Union.

In recent years, France (which is struggling tooth and nail to maintain its own failing neo-colonial
position in Africa and seeks to exploit SADR mineral and fishery resources) has urged an “approach”
that promotes Morocco’s colonial claims. President Macron is manoeuvring for continued Moroccan
sovereignty over Western Sahara with a “measure” of self-governance for the area’s people and
“guarantees” of human rights protection. No credible African government has shown support for this
desperate French move. Indeed, it is evident that more and more African countries seek to end
French influence in our affairs, except the Akufo-Addo administration. President Akufo-Addo
(recently honoured for his treachery by “elevation” to the rank of “Grand Officer” of the French
“Legion of Honour”) and his Foreign Minister are happy to be used by France to promote imperialist
interests above the aspirations of the Saharawi People and the oft-confirmed, anti-colonial and proplebiscite position of the African Union and the United Nations. They should bow their heads in utter
shame.
The Socialist Movement of Ghana condemns this rank betrayal of fellow Africans fighting for the right
to self-determination and against violent oppression. We call on the Mahama Administration to
reverse this position as a priority. Our nation was founded on the principle that all peoples have a
right to self-determination and freedom from rule by colonial exploiters. This has been the
cornerstone of our foreign policy since 1957. We will not surrender this principle so that Akufo-Addo
can deck himself in foreign bling as a faithful servant of French colonialism.

LONG LIVE THE SAHARAWI ARAB DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC!

LONG LIVE ANTI-COLONIALISM AND SELF-DETERMINATION

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Signed.

Kwesi Pratt Jnr
General Secretary