The Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic took part in the African Union–European Union Senior Officials Meeting held on 4 November at the African Union headquarters in Addis Ababa, according to وكالة الأنباء الصحراوية. The delegation was led by Aman Sidi Abdallah, Minister Counsellor at the Sahrawi Embassy to Ethiopia and the African Union.
The gathering took place in the Nelson Mandela Hall and drew roughly 400 delegates, among them 77 heads of delegation. Its purpose was to review how commitments from the Seventh AU–EU Summit, held in Luanda, Angola, in November 2025, are being carried out.
Why it matters
The meeting is one of the routine working sessions through which the African Union and the European Union track progress on their strategic partnership. For the Sahrawi Republic, participation offers a platform to press its positions on peace, security and development before a large cross-continental audience. وكالة الأنباء الصحراوية reports that the Sahrawi representative used the occasion to raise concerns about international law and about investment in territories whose legal status has not been settled.
Sahrawi envoy presses peace, security and UN reform
In his remarks, the Sahrawi representative argued that peace and security should be treated as lasting priorities on the agenda of the African Union and of the international bodies concerned, according to وكالة الأنباء الصحراوية. He warned that the authority of international law is eroding and pointed to mounting conflicts and rivalry over natural resources.
He also called for changes to the United Nations Security Council so that Africa is represented fairly and the continent's voice carries more weight in the international system for peace and security.
On development, the envoy said investment should be steered toward the everyday needs of African populations. He listed education, health care, safe drinking water, electricity, food security and infrastructure among the areas that should receive priority. He also made the case for backing local farm production and small and medium-sized industries.
The Sahrawi representative further urged the two unions to deepen cooperation on capacity-building and the development of human resources. He asked both sides to be careful about investments in territories whose legal status remains unresolved, naming the occupied territories of Western Sahara in particular, and said such activity should follow international law.
Trade, digital policy and an updated work plan
The meeting covered a range of issues within the AU–EU strategic partnership, including trade and investment, the African Continental Free Trade Area, the European Union's Global Gateway initiative, digital transformation and artificial intelligence, وكالة الأنباء الصحراوية reports.
Delegates ended the session by adopting a revised plan for implementing the partnership, organised around four priority areas. They also adopted a joint report assessing how the partnership was carried out between 2022 and 2025.
The talks are part of continuing efforts to improve coordination between the two unions. Additional joint consultations focused on peace, security and defence are set for 5 and 6 November, and those discussions will be the next marker of how far the two sides can align their positions.
