OAU: THE ANNUAL SUMMIT MEETING

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP82T00466R000300030007-1
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 4
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: February 16, 2012
• Sequence Number: 7
• Publication Date: July 1, 1980
• Content Type: REPORT

Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/02/16: CIA-RDP82T00466R000300030007-1
OAU: The Annual Summit Meeting
I JUL 1980
About half of the 50 African heads of state are expected to
attend the annual meeting of the Organization of African Unity,
which will convene from 1 to 4 JuZy in Freetown, Sierra Leone. The
radical-moderate cleavage in the organization is ZikeZy to be re-
opened by the possible entry of the Saharan Democratic Arab Republic
as a member state. Other serious issues--the termination of white
domination in South Africa, the independence of Namibia, and the
restoration of peace in Chad--are Zess ZikeZy to cause contention.
Algeria has been lobbying heavily among OAU countries
on behalf of its proteges in the Saharan Democratic Repub-
lic, which is now recognized by 23 African countries. A
simple majority of 26 is normally needed for admission, but
some of the 23 may not approve giving it OAU membership.
Algeria and the Republic are playing up the decolo-
nization aspects of the issue and asserting that enough
time has been spent trying to find a solution. Morocco,
on the other hand, has been pushing legalistic arguments.
These include the definition of a state as an entity in
effective control of`its territory and past OAU actions
that Morocco interprets as requiring a two-thirds ma-
jority.
Morocco is threatening to pull out of the OAU if
the Saharan Democratic Arab Republic is admitted. The
Moroccans walked out of the summit last year after the
OAU declared that Rabat had administrative control but
not sovereignty over Western Sahara. The Republic
cannot be recognized as a liberation movement because
it already proclaimed its independence as a separate
state in 1976.
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/02/16: CIA-RDP82T00466R000300030007-1
 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/02/16: CIA-RDP82T00466R000300030007-1
9
The Saharans have assured themselves a hearing by
submitting a formal application to the Secretary General.
Consideration of new members normally occurs early in
the session, so there is a good chance that this summit
will get off to an acrimonious start.
Most observers feel that no consensus will develop
in favor of admission this year--the OAU almost never
takes a vote.
OAU summits are highly political and totally
unexpected swings of opinion can occur.
The seating of the delegation from Liberia is also
in question. Liberian head of state Doe was excluded
from the special OAU economic summit, although Foreign
Minister Matthews attended the presummit meeting of the
Council of Ministers. A committee of West African presi-
dents met with Doe last Friday in Monrovia and apparently
will make the decision on Liberia just before the meeting
in Freetown.
The termination of white domination in South Africa
and the independence of Namibia have been given top
billing on the agenda out of respect for the OAU's long-
term commitment to African self-government. The African
Liberation Committee--the OAU's agent in these matters--
concedes that basic change in South Africa is not a real-
istic short-term goal, but the African leaders want to
record their continuing concern.
An international oil embargo of South Africa will
be proposed with provisions to care for African states
that suffer in the process. Another proposal for a boy-
cott of airlines serving South Africa has been referred
back for further study.
The OAU almost certainly will reiterate its support
of the South-West Africa People's Organization as the
only authentic representative of the Namibian people.
It also is likely to call for increased support for
South African liberation movements.
25X1
25X1
25X1
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/02/16: CIA-RDP82T00466R000300030007-1
 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/02/16: CIA-RDP82T00466R000300030007-1
The OAU may be ready to turn over to the UN the
problem of restoring peace in Chad. The special OAU
economic summit in April reportedly agreed that the OAU
would try for another three months to find an African
settlement for Chad--the intense fighting in Ndjamena
since mid-March has aborted plans for an African peace-
keeping force.
If necessary, the UN Security Council would be ap-
proached to organize and finance a contingent to separate
the rival Chadian factions and enforce a cease-fire. The
summit may reaffirm this approach; there appears to be
no plan at present to try to arrange settlement talks.
There are no indications that the OAU plans any new
effort to mediate the conflict between Ethiopia and
Somalia. There has been no progress on creating an
African Defense Force, although the military committee
has held several meetings and the agreement in principle
to do this is still valid.
Middle East issues, which nearly dominated the
summit in 1979, may be less controversial this year.
OAU members have by now established a record of accept-
ing Egypt's right to take its own positions and of en-
dorsing the Palestinians' desire to have their own state.
A major initiative--the adoption of an African
Charter of Human Rights--set in motion last year will
not be ready for debate. A human rights committee which
met in Banjul, The Gambia, earlier this month to review
the draft adjourned without finishing its work.
The committee ran into heated ideological disputes
over the proper balance between individual and "people's"
rights and into delaying tactics by Libyan-led hardliners.
A followup meeting is tentatively set for after the summit.
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/02/16: CIA-RDP82T00466R000300030007-1
 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/02/16: CIA-RDP82T00466R000300030007-1
1ci
Acting chairman Leopold Senghor of Senegal, filling in
for the late Liberian President Tolbert, will preside
at the opening of the summit and then turn the chairman-
ship over to the host president, Siaka Stevens of Sierra
Leadership
Given the lack of amenities in Freetown, attendance
by 25 or so heads of state would represent a good turnout.
Leone, who will hold office for the next year.
Stevens is old and cautious and is not likely to be
an aggressive leader. He has already introduced a new
proposal, however, which is creating considerable in-
terest. It calls for creating a political security
council--modeled on the UN Security Council--to serve
as a permanent body available on short notice to handle
African crises.
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/02/16: CIA-RDP82T00466R000300030007-1