Arab News Japan

TOKYO: The preparatory meeting of the Tokyo International Summit on Development in Africa (TICAD) was disrupted when a quarrel between representatives of Algeria and Morocco erupted forcing the suspension of the session on Friday.

The issue at stake was the participation of Ambassador Lamine Baali, representative of the Saharawi Republic, in the meeting although Japan didn’t recognize the entity. 

According to what is showed in a video circulated on social media, a member from the Moroccan delegation was trying to remove the name plate of the Sahrawi Republic placed in front of Baali.

An unidentified member of the Algerian delegation rushed to the spot to prevent the Moroccan representative from the action, and both got engaged in a pushing and fighting brawl, falling to the ground. 

The session was suspended and the chair’s voice could be heard telling the delegates that “those who interrupt the session will be asked to leave the meeting.”

Diplomatic sources told Arab News Japan that Morocco asked the organizers not to let the Sahrawi representatives participate since Japan does not recognize the entity that calls itself the Saharawi Republic.

It is, however, recognized by some countries in the African Union led by Algeria and South Africa.

It is expected the Algerian-Moroccan dispute over the Sahara will overshadow the TICAD foreign ministers meeting, which is set to start on Saturday and end on Sunday.

Japan is caught in this dispute and decided to allow the Polisario Front, an independence movement opposing Moroccan control of the Western Sahara, to attend the TICAD meetings at the strong pressure from Algeria and South Africa.

Moroccan protests found deaf ears at the Japanese side so far, the sources said.

A Japanese high-ranking official on Tuesday declined to confirm if his government was going to allow the Polisario representative to attend the meeting. 

Sahrawi and Algerian activists launched a “campaign against violence and for solidarity with the Dean of North African Region Ambassador Lamine Baali.”

It is not clear what nationality Baali has and with which passport he entered Japan.