The Polisario has incurred a new setback in its legal maneuvers against Morocco after the Kingdom’s phosphate company, OCP, restored ownership of a 55,000 tons of phosphates rock unlawfully held in South Africa following a legal challenge by the Polisario. The cargo on board Cherry Blossom was seized in South Africa since May 2017 after the Polisario claimed ownership of the shipment in a political trial. OCP refused to participate in a trial it described as a “political piracy” wherein Polisario manipulated the justice system of its ally South Africa with no legitimacy to rule on the case. Analysts deem that in detaining the cargo, South Africa has made an ideological decision in support of its Polisario allies in a total breach of international law. South Africa and its ally Algeria are feeling the rug pulled from under their feet with Morocco’s return to the African Union.

Source: The North Africa Journal May 10, 2018 11:03 UTC