His remarks accepting the chairmanship of the African Union will raise hackles in Israel and Morocco.

There’s been no official response from Tel Aviv or Rabat to President Cyril Ramaphosa’s support for the self-determination struggles in Palestine and Western Sahara.

But those governments will be incensed – particularly by Ramaphosa’s likening the Trump peace plan for Palestine to the creation  of bantustans by the apartheid regime.

But the South Africa President is getting African support.

Ghana’s Palestinian Solidarity Group head Ras Mubarak   calls the plan a one-sided load of trash.

Moetsi Mohwasa of the Botswana National Front says trying to impose the peace plan would be a war crime.

The post Ramaphosa supports Palestinian and Saharawi struggle for self determination appeared first on Jean-Jacques Cornish.

The SADC gathering has the backing of the African Union that last year accepted the kingdom into its ranks.

Initial signs from Rabat are that it will continue to be an up hill battle getting it to meets its promise to have a referendum of the Saharawi people on self determination.

Morocco has organized its own meeting to coincide with the SADC summit.

It rejects the African Union’s pressing interest in Western Sahara, preferring the United Nations where it has been able to spin out matters for decades.  

The post SADC summit seeks to end Morocco’s occupation of Western Sahara appeared first on Jean-Jacques Cornish.

In the absence of the 59-year-old, his brother Frederick is running things in Libreville.

ends intro

Ali Bongo was rushed to hospital in Riyadh on October 24th where he was attending an economic gathering.

It took days for his people to admit he was seriously ill and had undergone surgery.

The death of his father Omar Bongo, who was president for 42 years, was shrouded in secrecy nine years ago.

Ali Bongo  continued the dynasty after his father’s death.

Gabonese officials say the President is now off a respirator and well enough to take the journey to Rabat where he will recuperate.

The post Gabon’s President Ali Bongo to recover in Morocco from emergency surgery in Saudi Arabia appeared first on Jean-Jacques Cornish.

They says Rabat has yet to answer a request for agreement made 14 years ago by Pretoria.

Morocco’s ambassador to Pretoria  packed his bags and left in a huff when South Africa recognized the Saharawi Arab Democratic Republic that’s been illegally occupied by the kingdom since 1975.

Since then, Rabat’d ignored a request from Pretoria for agreement for a South African ambassador.

 Morocco has been saying wants to restore top level relations with South Africa as a heavy-hitter in the African Union it joined last year.

DIRCO’s operations chief Mxolisi Nkosi told reporters today that the starting point for any normalization of relations between Rabat and Pretoria would have to be Morocco replying  to the 14-year-old South African request.

The post Ball is in Morocco’s court if it wants to upgrade relations with South Africa appeared first on Jean-Jacques Cornish.

Mounia el Motassadeq is the one of only two men convicted for involvement in plotting the attack that killed more than 3000 people.

Morocco, with its repressive system,  is a virtual recruiting camp for  Al Qaeda.

Mounia el Motassadeq, who acted as a baker for the 9/11 terrorists, will be closely followed by that Rabat authorities.

He may even be turned over to the United States is they are interested.

Germany is relieved to see the back of the man and turn the page on the plot by a group of young men living in Hamburg determined to sow shock and awe on the United States.

The post Germany deports 9/11 plotter to Morocco appeared first on Jean-Jacques Cornish.

He was crushed by a compactor after he jumped into a garbage truck to retrieve his merchandise thrown there by police.

The tragic death of 31-year-old Mouhcine Fikri event occurred in the northern port city of Al Hoceima.

Protests there spread y to cities like Marrakesh and Rabat, the capital.

Morocco’s King Mohammed VI ordered the prosecution of  anyone who’s  broken the law.

Police reportedly asked for the trash compactor to be activated to stop Fikri and friends who dived into the garbage truck to retrieve R120 000  worth of swordfish, a protected species in Morocco, that the police had thrown there.

The protests that led to the fall of Tunisian strongman Ben Ali were sparked by the death of a fruit seller bullied by police.

The post Moroccan unrest after fish seller dies in trash compacter appeared first on Jean-Jacques Cornish.