Algeria’s Political Games at TICAD Highlight Separatists’ Growing Isolation
At the recently concluded Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD), Algeria’s persistent political manoeuvring once again put African interests at risk, exposing the increasing diplomatic isolation of the Polisario Front separatists.
TICAD, hosted by Japan, is designed as a forum for African states and international partners to collaborate on the continent’s development. Yet Algeria has sought to exploit this platform to push its contentious agenda around Western Sahara, attempting to insert the Polisario Front—a separatist group unrecognised by Japan and many African nations—into the proceedings.
The Japanese government, prompted by Morocco and backed by a significant bloc of African countries, categorically rejected invitations to the Polisario. While the group tried to use its residual African Union membership to infiltrate TICAD under the umbrella of the AU Commission, their presence was marked by diplomatic isolation and stark rebuke.
Undesirable Guests
Japan extended formal invitations exclusively to recognised sovereign African states, in line with its longstanding policy of non-recognition towards the self-declared Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR). The Polisario did not receive any formal or informal invitation, and Japan denied recognition of their travel documents, even refusing entry on Algerian passports—a privilege previously granted.
Moreover, eighteen African countries formally joined Morocco in writing to the Japanese government, condemning the Polisario’s presence as “unacceptable” and a politicisation of a forum meant solely for Africa’s development. This unprecedented coordinated stance signals a significant shift in African diplomatic unity against Algeria’s attempts to instrumentalise TICAD.
Diplomatic Humiliation
The Polisario’s attempted intrusion resulted in a series of diplomatic setbacks:
Exclusion from any official status or diplomatic recognition by Japan;
Lack of access to formal registration or accreditation processes;
Absence of official badges, relegating them to an anonymous status simply labelled “African Union”;
No official reception or protocol treatment was afforded to other African states.
A clear public statement by Japan’s Foreign Minister IWAYA Takeshi reiterating Tokyo’s non-recognition of the SADR, underscoring the country’s commitment to international law and regional stability.
These moves left the separatists isolated and exposed, demonstrating the waning support for their cause on the international stage and the deepening diplomatic isolation engineered by Algeria’s politicisation of African forums.
Strengthening Morocco’s Position
Morocco, which has long advocated for a negotiated autonomy plan for Western Sahara, sees its position reinforced by this collective rebuff. Japan has consistently supported Morocco’s autonomy initiative, reaffirming this stance in international arenas, including the UN Security Council.
The wider African rejection of the Polisario at TICAD reflects growing impatience with Algeria’s exploitation of regional platforms and signals a united front prioritising Africa’s development over divisive political conflicts.
A Call for Focus on Development
Moroccan diplomats have stressed that TICAD must remain a space dedicated to development and partnership, not political posturing. Attempts to use the forum for ideological confrontation risk isolation and loss of support.
This episode serves as a potent reminder that the international community—and increasingly African nations themselves—are aligning behind solutions that respect sovereignty, stability, and pragmatic development over divisive separatist claims.