Polisario condemns Colombia’s recognition of Morocco’s sovereignty over the Sahara

The Polisario Front has «strongly condemned» Colombia’s decision to recognize Morocco’s sovereignty over the Sahara, describing it as «a regrettable quid pro quo arrangement driven by a deeply ideological agenda».

The movement argued that Colombia’s new position violates «the principles of international law» and helps «legitimize a situation resulting from the military occupation of a territory that remains subject to a decolonization process».

Polisario also invoked Colombia’s own Constitution, pointing to Article 9, which states that the country’s foreign relations are founded on respect for international law, international treaties and peoples’ right to self-determination.

It further warned of what it called the decision’s «negative repercussions on international peace and security», claiming that it «obstructs the efforts of the United Nations and the African Union to reach a just solution consistent with international law».

According to the Front, the move also undermines «Colombia’s international role as an important actor in the pursuit of peace, the promotion of cooperation among peoples and the strengthening of the rules-based international order».

Polisario said it regretted that the decision came «in the context of the announced suspension of diplomatic relations with prominent Latin American countries and the closure of embassies in major African capitals». It called on the Colombian government to reconsider its position and «respect its international obligations».

Colombia established diplomatic relations with the so-called «Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic» on February 27, 1985, under President Belisario Betancur. The ties were suspended in 2001 during Andrés Pastrana’s presidency before former President Gustavo Petro restored them on August 11, 2022.