DAKAR — Senegal's President Macky Sall has underscored the need for Morocco to rejoin the Africa Union after 29 years of absence, diplomatic sources in Dakar said. “It is important that the Kingdom of Morocco reunites with the great African family and I will endeavor to make this happen,” a Foreign Ministry statement quoted him as saying. The statement was jointly prepared by the Senegalese and Moroccan Foreign ministers to mark the end of King Mohamed VI's official visit to Senegal. Morocco pulled out of the then Organization of African Unity (OAU) in 1984 over the institution's support for the self-determination of the Western Sahara, which Morocco considers part of its territory. The statement further quoted President Sall as saying that Morocco's initiative for a broader autonomy of the Western Sahara region constitutes the ideal solution to the conflict. On its part, Morocco has promised to support the candidacy of Senegal to the United Nations Security Council for the period 2016-17. Agreements relating to various areas were signed between the two countries during the visit of King Mohamed VI to Dakar including infrastructure, mining and transport. — Agencies
