A source from Morocco’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and African Cooperation has confirmed that Morocco had never considered participating in the upcoming BRICS-Africa meeting in any capacity.
In response to recent media speculation suggesting Morocco’s potential nomination to join the “BRICS” group or its participation in the upcoming “BRICS/Africa” meeting scheduled for August 24 in Johannesburg, South Africa, the source clarified that this initiative did not originate from BRICS or the African Union. Rather, it was a South African initiative on a national level.
As the meeting was organized on the basis of a unilateral initiative by the South African government, the source explained, Morocco evaluated this initiative in light of its strained bilateral relationship with South Africa.
According to the same source, South Africa has consistently exhibited hostility towards Morocco, taking systematic negative and biased positions on the moroccan Sahara issue. Pretoria has further escalated its openly antagonistic behavior against Morocco, both domestically and within the African Union, undermining Morocco’s core interests.
The source highlighted South Africa’s diplomatic approach characterized by impulsiveness, improvisation, and lack of adherence to proper protocols in organizing events of this nature.
As evidence, the source pointed out deliberate protocol violations and provocations evident in the invitation extended to Morocco for this meeting. Worse still, numerous countries and entities were arbitrarily invited by the host country without genuine basis or prior consultation with other “BRICS” member states.
The same source emphasized that “it has become clear that South Africa will manipulate the nature and purpose of this event to serve an undisclosed agenda.” It was made clear that Morocco had preemptively ruled out any positive response towards South Africa’s invitation.
Regarding Morocco’s relationship with the BRICS group, the source underscored that South Africa’s diplomatic stance had, once again, allowed itself to speak about Morocco and its relationship with BRICS without prior consultation. This was considered a misleading perspective that did not reflect reality.
