Colombia reaffirms freezing of its recognition of so-called 'sadr'

Colombia reaffirmed on Monday its recognition of the sovereignty of the Kingdom of Morocco over its entire territory, including the Sahara, and announced the freezing of its recognition of the so-called “sadr”.

In a new statement issued by the Colombian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Bogota stated that this decision follows a “sovereign review” of the recognition of the so-called “sadr” granted by the previous government, taking into account the fact that it “is not recognized by the United Nations as a member state,” and within the framework of strengthening the strategic partnership between Colombia and the Kingdom of Morocco.

This decision means that “there will be no political or diplomatic contact, no exchange of missions, and no support for the ‘sadr’ in multilateral fora, including the United Nations and the Security Council, where Colombia currently sits as a non-permanent member,” the statement added.

Bogota stressed that this decision “fully respects international law, the Charter of the United Nations, as well as the framework set out by Security Council Resolution 2797 (2025) on the issue of the Sahara.”

This shift also confirms Colombia’s determination to “revitalize its relations with Morocco, a partner for nearly fifty years,” on the basis of a “long-term vision” and with the conviction of building a “renewed relationship,” in which closer bilateral ties will fully serve the interests of both peoples.

The new dynamic between Rabat and Bogota will be based on “ambitious and concrete” cooperation, with considerable potential in terms of “trade, investment promotion, tourism, food security, port and logistics development, as well as strengthening Atlantic connectivity.”

This decision also follows the participation, on August 7 in Cali, Colombia, of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccan Expatriates, Nasser Bourita, who represented His Majesty King Mohammed VI at the inauguration ceremony of Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella.

It thus reflects the shared desire of His Majesty King Mohammed VI and President Abelardo de la Espriella to open a new chapter in Moroccan-Colombian relations, based on a long-term strategic vision, with the ambition of elevating the partnership between the two countries to an unprecedented level.