After 32 years Moroccan officials have formally announced its aim to become a member of African Union once again. This serious declaration was revealed during the latest African Union Summit which has taken place in Rwanda. The Moroccan King Mohammed VI said this is the right time for Morocco to regain its place within its institutional, geographical-related family. Morocco left the African Union in 1984 after recognition the Western Sahara by organisation’s members. Morocco maintains that Western Sahara, a former Spanish colony, is an integral part of the country even though local Sahrawi people have long campaigned for the right to self-determination. This is the main reason of negotiation stalemate which has lasted for more than three decades. Morocco has occupied the Western Sahara since 1975. The international community doesn’t recognize this move. UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon even uses the term "occupation" to describe the current status of the territory.

So far, this long absence hasn’t supported the kingdom in its diplomatic disputes over Western Sahara. The fact that Morocco is the only African country which is not an AU member doesn’t help either. Finally, officials have noticed that too and already took the first step in changing its attitude to the AU. 

Moroccan authorities even sent a special delegation to lobby African leaders at the summit in Kampala (Rwandan capital). Further, Moroccan actions considering disputed region remain unclear. In his speech addressed to the African Union, King Mohammed tried to encourage the bloc to rethink its attitude to the "phantom state" of Western Sahara. Nevertheless, the AU has already said that it will continue pushing for the rights of the people of Western Sahara to call for a self-determination referendum.
Morocco's return to the AU has to be confirmed by a vote.

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