
Malabo, 10 July 2025 (SPS) – The conference hall hosting the 47th session of the African Union Executive Council in Malabo, the capital of Equatorial Guinea, on Thursday and Friday witnessed an unprecedented incident. Elements believed to be associated with the Moroccan delegation stole the flag of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR) from its designated place.
The incident sparked widespread condemnation among participating delegations, especially as it occurred in a diplomatic setting where delegations are expected to represent member states with full respect for laws and adherence to internationally recognized conduct and ethics in such multilateral forums.
Several delegations refused to continue the meeting until the Sahrawi flag was restored to its rightful place, reaffirming respect for the sovereignty of the Sahrawi Republic—a founding member of the African Union—and the need to uphold ethical and protocol standards that ensure mutual respect among member states.
The delegations considered this act a blatant violation of diplomatic norms and insisted on the immediate return of the Sahrawi flag for the meeting to proceed. This demand was eventually met after intervention by the African Union protocol team.
Morocco’s continued bullying tactics since joining the African Union in 2017 aim to create trouble for the continental organization, tarnish its reputation and unity before the African peoples, and severely damage its credibility with international partners.
The repetition of such aggressive behavior, which contradicts all diplomatic norms, procedures, and regulations, reflects a foreign agenda seeking to weaken the African Union and obstruct its efforts to play its natural role as a unified political and economic bloc on the global stage.
The African Union must prevent Morocco from persisting in this reckless and barbaric behavior by taking necessary decisions and imposing appropriate sanctions in accordance with established laws and regulatory procedures.