ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA // The African Union admitted Morocco as a member on Tuesday, 33 years after Rabat withdrew from the bloc's predecessor over a row about the status of Western Sahara.
Morocco's King Mohammed, who had been campaigning since last year to join, waved to heads of state at the end of a summit in the AU headquarters in the Ethiopian capital.
"Africa is my home and I am coming back home," the king said to applause from African leaders. "I have missed you all."
The North African kingdom quit the Organisation of African Unity - predecessor of the AU - in 1984 after the body recognised Western Sahara, most of which has been under Moroccan control since 1976.
Moroccan claims to Western Sahara go against UN resolutions calling for an independence referendum.
Western Sahara's Foreign Minister Mohamed Salem Ould Salek had earlier said progress on Morocco's admission was a "positive step" since it would put them on an equal diplomatic footing.
Continental heavyweights Algeria and South Africa have been prominent backers of the Sahrawi Republic, the domestic political movement that lays claim to the territory along the northern Sahara's Atlantic seaboard.
The decision for Morocco to rejoin the AU came on Monday at the African leaders summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
"Morocco has been admitted to join the AU with a view that it will become the 55th member of the continental body. That's made with the understanding that Western Sahara will remain a member of the AU," said Lamine Baali, ambassador of Western Sahara to Ethiopia and the African Union. "All the debates were focused on (the issue) that Morocco should respect the internationally recognised border of Western Sahara."
An African Union source said that 39 countries supported Morocco's bid but nine southern African countries - except for Swaziland - voted against it.
"Most of the debate was related to the border (with Western Sahara). But the decision has finally been made for Morocco to rejoin the AU and become the 55th member. It is now adopted, " said the source.
* * Reuters
Morocco rejoins the African Union after 32 years
Morocco left the pan-African bloc in 1984 after a majority of the member states recognised the disputed territory of Western Sahara as a member.
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