Colombia has recognised Morocco’s sovereignty over the Sahara, marking a significant shift in its position on the long-standing territorial dispute, the Moroccan Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Friday.
The ministry said the new position was announced during a meeting in Cali between Morocco’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccan Expatriates, Nasser Bourita, and Colombia’s Vice-President José Manuel Restrepo, in the presence of Foreign Minister Omar Bula Escobar.
During the meeting, Bula Escobar affirmed that Colombia “recognises Morocco’s sovereignty over its Sahara,” according to the statement.
Restrepo described the development as “a new beginning” in relations between Colombia and Morocco, while noting that Morocco was “Colombia’s first ally in Africa.”
He also expressed Colombia’s determination to establish a strategic partnership with Morocco.
For his part, Bourita described Colombia’s decision to withdraw its recognition of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR) and recognise Morocco’s sovereignty over the Sahara as “historic”.
He said the decision could provide “great momentum” to bilateral relations between the two countries.
Bourita added that Morocco and Colombia could serve as economic platforms for each other by leveraging their respective strategic positions in Africa and Latin America.
The Moroccan minister said his presence in Cali, at the instructions of King Mohammed VI, to represent the Moroccan monarch at the investiture ceremony of Colombia’s new president, Abelardo de la Espriella, reflected Morocco’s determination to support the new momentum in bilateral relations.
He said Morocco was committed to elevating its relations with Colombia to a higher level.
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