Morocco king wooing East African allies of rival Algeria

King Mohammed VI of Morocco began a tour of east Africa on Wednesday to garner support for his country's historic bid to rejoin the African Union after more than three decades.

Starting in Rwanda, the monarch is set to also visit Tanzania an Ethiopia with the aim of forging ties in a region largely neglected by the north African kingdom up until now.

"We have never had any presence, neither diplomatic nor economic, nor cultural, nor historic, with east Africa," a high-ranking member of the king's delegation told AFP.

"Aside from west and central Africa we must open up to east Africa and that is what is under way. The context of Morocco's return to the African Union is there too of course, and these are important countries in the AU."

In meetings with Rwandan President Paul Kagame, 19 bilateral agreements were signed, mostly with regards to economic interests.

It has not been announced when the king will leave for Tanzania.

Rabat officially requested to rejoin the AU in September, 32 years after quitting the bloc in protest at its decision to accept Western Sahara as a member.

While Morocco insists that Western Sahara is an integral part of the kingdom, the international community has not recognised Morocco's occupation of the area since 1975.

Local Sahrawi people, backed by Morocco's neighbour Algeria, have long campaigned for the right to self-determination.

According to the same AFP source, the east African tour "is also a way to get closer to countries which historically had positions which were hostile to Morocco's interests."

The unnamed official added that the region had long been considered an ally of Algeria.

In July, the Moroccan monarch said the decision to return to the AU did not mean his country has changed its stance on Western Sahara.

Rabat's membership bid must be approved by a vote of the AU Commission in order to be accepted.