By Seleoe Nonyane
The Lesotho government has vowed to investigate the alleged involvement of a former foreign affairs minister in the signing of the Tangier Appeal and other related activities and take appropriate action.
This follows foreign media reports that Lesotho and Madagascar had joined Gambia as the latest nations to sign the “Solemn Appeal for the expulsion of the SADR from the African Union,” known as the “Tangier Appeal”.
According to the reports, the three new African countries put pen to paper on Saturday in Marrakech during this first meeting to follow up on the “Tangier Appeal” three former Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Lesotho, Madagascar and Gambia became signatories of this Appeal, first signed on November 4, 2022 in Tangier.
“These are Lesego Makgothi, former minister of foreign affairs of Lesotho, Patrick Rajoelina, former minister of foreign affairs of Madagascar and Lamine Kaba Badjo, former minister of foreign affairs of Gambia. With these new countries, the number of signatories now stands at 19.
“The Tangier Appeal was initially signed by former Prime Ministers and former African ministers from Guinea-Bissau, Djibouti, Central African Republic, Somalia, Burkina Faso, Eswatini, Benin, Comoros, Liberia, Gabon, Malawi, Cape Verde, Senegal, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Guinea and Kenya.
“During the Marrakech meeting, the 19 signatories reiterated their commitment to work together and to exclude this non-state entity from the African Union. The former African Prime Ministers and Ministers also considered that this exclusion, which is legitimate from a legal point of view, should not be regarded as an unattainable goal, as it is part of a favourable continental and international dynamic where realism and pragmatism prevail and because it represents an indispensable prerequisite for the return of the impartiality and credibility of the Pan-African Organization on the Moroccan Sahara issue,” the reports claimed.
However, current foreign affairs and international relations minister Lejone Mpotjoane, this week said the government of Lesotho, strongly, out-rightly and utterly, disassociates itself from this alleged signing of an Appeal by the former Minister Makgothi, and reiterates its long and cherished principled position on Arab Democratic Republic (SADR) or Western Sahara as follows:
Mpotsjoane said Lesotho and Western Sahara maintain cordial bilateral relations and successive Governments of Lesotho have maintained their support to Western Sahara. These relations have been maintained through-out the years and they continue to grow from strength to strength.
“Lesotho and Western Sahara have exchanged High Level visits and worthy of note are the official visit to Western Sahara by the former Prime Minister, Dr. Motsoahae Thomas Thabane in 2012 and the official visit to Lesotho by the President of Western Sahara, His Excellency Brahim Ghali, in 2018. These exchange visits have gone a long way in consolidating the existing warm cordial relations between these two sister African Countries.
“Lesotho’s Foreign Policy, is premised upon the principle espoused by the Founder of the Basotho Nation, King Moshoeshoe I, namely “Khotso Ke Khaitseli ea ka” literally translated to mean “Peace is my sister”. It is underpinned by the principles of sovereign equality of all states, peaceful settlement of disputes, non-use of the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state and the right to self-determination.
“With respect to the Right to self-determination, Lesotho calls for the legitimate right to self-determination of those countries and nations that still do not enjoy self-determination in accordance with the United Nations principles and resolutions. On the basis of its foreign policy, which has remained virtually the same since obtaining independence in 1966, Lesotho has maintained her principled position to support the struggle for the People of Western Sahara. Indeed, Lesotho exists as a country today because of solidarity with others and her independence and sovereignty shall, to a large extend, continue to depend on solidarity with other states.”
Mpotjoane added that SADC organized a Solidarity Conference on Western Sahara early in 2019 in the Republic of South Africa and the decisions of that Conference were endorsed by the SADC Summit that was held in the Republic of Tanzania in August 2019. Lesotho participated in both Summits at the highest level.
He reiterated that Lesotho will continue to maintain her principled position on Western Sahara, and reaffirmed the country’s support to the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic as an independent African country, co-existing side by side with the Kingdom of Morocco in peace and security.
“It is regrettable that Western Sahara remains the only colony on the Continent of Africa contrary to the principles of the United Nations Charter. The issue of Western Sahara is a question of decolonization which remains to be completed on the basis of the exercise by the Sahrawi People of their inalienable right to self-determination and independence.
“The Government of Lesotho underscores the need for creating conditions that would allow the holding of a peaceful and fair referendum for the self-determination of the People of Western Sahara. The Government therefore, pronounces Lesotho’s support for peaceful negotiations, aimed at holding the referendum between Western Sahara and Morocco on an equal footing and without pre-conditions,” he concluded.
