Confusion as Ruto deletes tweet derecognising Sahrawi Republic as independent state

Kenya’s President William Ruto has deleted a tweet revoking the country’s recognition of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR) as an independent state.

Earlier on Wednesday, Ruto announced the development on Twitter after receiving a congratulatory message from Mohammed VI, King of Morocco.

The announcement also came after Brahim Ghali, the president of Sahrawi Republic, attended Ruto’s swearing-in ceremony on Tuesday.

The SADR, which claims the Western Sahara, is a partially-recognised state agitating for total independence from Morocco.

It was colonised by the Spanish from 1884 to 1976.

After the Spanish withdrew from the region, a politico-military organisation based in Algeria and largely composed of Sahrawis, declared the independence of the region.

They fought Morocco and Mauritania for control of the territory, even as Morocco continues to claim sovereignty over the area.

Kenya recognised the region’s independence in 2005, and is among 41 United Nations (UN) member states — including Nigeria — that recognise the republic as an independent state.

In a Twitter post on Wednesday, Ruto said Kenya “rescinds its recognition of the SADR and initiates steps to wind down the entity’s presence in the country”.

“Kenya supports the United Nations framework as the exclusive mechanism to find a lasting solution of the dispute over Western Sahara,” he added.

“We are accelerating relations with the Kingdom of Morocco in areas of trade, agriculture, health, tourism, energy, among others, for the mutual benefit of our countries.”

The president has, however, deleted the tweet revoking Sahrawi‘s recognition as an independent state.

In Nigeria, the SADR was recognised on November 11, 1984, when President Muhammadu Buhari was military head of state.

Buhari had, in 2019, also said Nigeria’s support for the SADR and its quest for self-determination had not changed, adding that the country remains committed to the resolutions of the African Union and the United Nations on its status.

Meanwhile, although the development has generated varied reactions on social media, the president is yet to give a reason for deleting the tweet.