Colombia withdraws recognition of Polisario, recognizes Moroccan sovereignty over Sahara
CALI — Colombia has announced a change in its stance on the Sahara issue, confirming its recognition of the sovereignty of the Kingdom of Morocco over its southern provinces. This striking diplomatic shift opens a new chapter in relations between Rabat and Bogotá and gives additional momentum to Morocco’s territorial integrity issue within Latin America.
The announcement came during a meeting between the Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation, and Moroccans Expatriates, Nasser Bourita, and the Vice President of the Republic of Colombia, José Manuel Restrepo, in the presence of Minister of Foreign Relations Omar Paula Escobar, who confirmed that his country “recognizes Morocco’s sovereignty over its Sahara”—a position that consolidates a clear shift in Bogotá’s approach to the file.
The shift also includes Colombia withdrawing its recognition of the so-called ‘Saharan Arab Democratic Republic’ (SADR), which Bourita described as a “historic” decision that would provide a “strong boost” to bilateral relations.
Restrepo considered the move a “new beginning” in Moroccan-Colombian relations, emphasizing that Morocco represents “Colombia’s primary ally in Africa,” while expressing his country’s desire to build a strategic partnership with the Kingdom.
This development comes in the context of continuous Moroccan diplomatic efforts in recent years, through which Rabat has succeeded in expanding the circle of nations supporting the Autonomy Proposal under Moroccan sovereignty, while strengthening the presence of the Sahara issue on the political and economic agendas of influential countries across various regions.
The Colombian step gains special importance considering the country’s location and political weight within Latin America. Bogotá is not just a geographically distant state from Morocco, but belongs to a region historically linked with divergent stances on the Sahara issue, making its transition to recognizing Moroccan sovereignty a development that could have implications extending beyond the bilateral framework.
From this perspective, the Colombian recognition represents a turning point in the series of recognitions of the Moroccan identity of the Sahara, as it comes from a geographic realm far removed from the Arab and African spheres. It reflects the ability of Moroccan diplomacy to reach politically influential capitals outside its traditional circles. This shift also gives Rabat a new card to reinforce its approach based on expanding international support for the autonomy initiative as the sole realistic solution to the artificial conflict in the Sahara.
This decision is inseparable from the shifts observed in Moroccan foreign policy, which has relied on intensifying diplomatic presence, opening up to new regional and international powers, and linking political positions with long-term economic and strategic partnerships. This explains Bourita’s assertion that Morocco and Colombia can serve as mutual economic platforms, given their strategic locations in Africa and Latin America, respectively.
Colombia’s recognition of the Moroccan Sahara represents an additional fruit of Moroccan diplomatic successes—not only in terms of winning the stance of a new nation, but also in transferring the Sahara issue to broader geographical and political arenas, gradually transforming it into an active element in reshaping Morocco’s relations with its international partners.
Furthermore, this recognition deals a severe blow to the Polisario and its separatist claims, particularly in a geographic area that was characterized for decades by support for this narrative under the guise of self-determination and liberation.
This shift coincides with the presence of the Moroccan Foreign Minister in Cali, under royal directives, to represent King Mohammed VI at the inauguration ceremony of the new Colombian President, Abelardo de la Espriella—an indication of Rabat’s desire to accompany the political transition in Colombia and leverage it to build deeper relations.
The Colombian position is poised to send a political message to Latin American nations indicating that the Sahara issue is experiencing growing shifts in capital stances, and that partnership with Morocco is increasingly tied to a clear stance on its territorial integrity. Thus, the Colombian recognition may not be merely a bilateral development, but a new milestone in the expansion of Moroccan diplomacy across the Latin American region.