MK Party breaks with ANC, endorses Moroccan autonomy plan for Western Sahara
In a significant foreign policy shift that starkly contrasts with the position of the ANC, uMkhonto we Sizwe (MK) Party has formally announced its support for Morocco’s autonomy plan for the Western Sahara.
In a statement delivered in Rabat on behalf of former President Jacob Zuma, the party described the move as a practical solution to a “long-standing debacle” and an effort to deepen the historical ties between South Africa and Morocco.
The party highlighted a “historical bond,” recalling that Morocco provided military training and financial support to Nelson Mandela and the anti-apartheid movement in 1962.
This, the statement suggested, laid the groundwork for a 2017 meeting between then-President Zuma and King Mohammed VI, which sought to open a “new chapter” in bilateral relations.
The MK Party believes the autonomy proposal offers a “balanced path forward,” allowing for significant local governance while respecting Morocco’s sovereignty.
This stance is rooted in a commitment to preserving the unity of African states against what the party calls an “agenda of balkanization.” It views Morocco’s efforts to reclaim its territorial integrity as aligned with this principle.
Citing the growing international and continental support for the Moroccan plan, the MK Party has called on the global community to back the proposal as the most effective way to achieve peace and prosperity in the region.
This official position firmly breaks with the ANC’s decades-long policy of advocating for the full independence of the Sahrawi people.