King of Morocco addresses AU for 1st time in 34 years

By Seleshi Tessema and Addis Getachew

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia (AA) - Moroccan King Mohammed VI delivered a speech Tuesday to an assembly of the African Union (AU) heads of state and government for the first time in 34 years.

“It is a fine day when you come back home after many years of absence,” he said in his address at the closing session of the two-day AU summit.

“Africa is indispensable for Morocco and Morocco is important for Africa,” he said. “We can add impetus to the African [development] agenda.”

Morocco was readmitted into the African Union (AU) on Monday.

Morocco left the then Organization of African Unity -- the predecessor of the African Union -- in 1984 when the union recognized Saharawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR) in West Sahara – a region Morocco still claims as part of its territory.

On Monday, Chadian Foreign Minister, Moussa Faki Mahamat was elected to replace Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma who stepped down after four years at the head of the AU Commission.