NAIROBI, Kenya, Feb 7 — Kenya has prioritized discussions on the contested Western Sahara territory in the African Union Peace and Security Council (AU PSC) with President Uhuru Kenyatta slated to host high-level talks on February 16.
The Western Sahara matter is highlighted among key issues President Kenyatta is expected to discuss with other Heads of State, the other being violent extremism according to a detailed work plan released by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
“A meeting at the Heads of State and Government level will be held on 16th February which among other things will discuss the situation in Western Sahara and follow up on the Nairobi declaration on Terrorism and Violent Extremism,” the ministry outlined in a detailed agenda document on Saturday.
The session of Western Sahara will seek to deescalate tension between the Kingdom of Morocco and the Sahrawi Republic, a semi-autonomous region that has been agitation for self-rule.
Morocco has in the past objected the push to have Western Sahara decide its future through a referendum.
Talks on the matter have however failed to yield consensus in the past despite Morocco having committed to open dialogue following its readmission to the African Union (AU) in January 2017 after a 33-year absence to protest the recognition of Western Sahara.
The Western Sahara question has threatened to destabilize the Kenya-Morocco ties in the past, the most significant incident occurring when Western Sahara opened an embassy in Kenya in February 2014.
Then Senate Speaker Ekwe Ethuro was dispatched to Morocco in a bid to resolve the emerging tiff.
The 15-member AU PSC which includes Benin, Burundi, Cameroon, Chad, Djibouti, Egypt, Ghana, Lesotho, Mozambique, Nigeria, Senegal, Malawi, Ethiopia and Algeria has been rooting for cessation of hostilities as a means to encourage dialogue.
The Council has also supported UN-led mediation efforts as well as the UN Mission to Western Sahara to support peace efforts.
Difference between Morocco and Algeria have however threated to slow consensus on Western Sahara with Rabat accusing Algiers of meddling in its affairs.
Other issues expected to feature during Kenya’s presidency of the AU Security Council include urbanization with Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary Amb Raychelle Omamo set to convene a ministerial session on February 8.
“Selected special guests and relevant UN agencies will be invited to make statements during the discussions,” the Foreign Office said.
Omamo said the session will also discuss discussed regional security and explore solutions to the urban conflict.
“The objective of the discussion is to review new emerging international peace and security risks linked to growing inequalities across territories and within cities that are fueled by climate change, conflict over land, and economic disparities,” she said.
“Foreign ministers will also discuss the role that sustainable urbanization and effective cities and local governments can play in preventing escalation of conflicts, rebuilding the social contract, and preventing further displacement, extremism and proxy-wars,” the Foreign Office added.
Omamo’s session will also consider civil unrest in Sudan, the security situation in South Sudan as well an update on the status of consultations on AMISOM post 2021.
The UN extended AMISOM’s mandate to March 2022 after it lapsed in December 2021.
The Security Council will discuss the proposed reconfiguration of the AU-led alliance tasked to fight Al-Shabaab in Somalia and degrade its ability to stage terrorist incursions in the region.