Angolan authorities rolled out the red carpet for the Polisario leader, Brahim Ghali, who was invited by Angola's President, João Lourenço, to partake in the festivities marking the 50th anniversary of Angola's independence. This invitation, which received extensive media coverage in Tindouf and Algiers, comes just ten days after the UN Security Council adopted a resolution reaffirming the significance of the Moroccan autonomy plan for Western Sahara. On Tuesday in Luanda, Brahim Ghali met with Azouz Nasri, the president of the Algerian Parliament's upper house, who was representing President Abdelmadjid Tebboune at the commemorative events. It is noteworthy that Angola has previously shown some alignment with Morocco's stance on the Sahara issue. In a joint statement released after discussions on July 11, 2023, in Rabat between Nasser Bourita and his Angolan counterpart, Tété António, Luanda had «encouraged the efforts of the UN Secretary-General and his personal envoy, Mr. Staffan de Mistura, to achieve a just, durable, and mutually acceptable political solution, based on compromise». The two ministers reconvened in November 2023 in Rabat, with Tété António delivering a message from the Angolan president to King Mohammed VI. Despite these gestures of openness towards Rabat, Angola continues to recognize «SADR».
