Andean Parliament President voices support for Morocco’s territorial integrity

President of the Andean Parliament, Gustavo Pacheco Villar, has expressed his support for Morocco’s territorial integrity and sovereignty over its Sahara, and praised the Kingdom’s commitment to upholding international law.

In a statement to the press following a meeting in Rabat Wednesday with Morocco’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Nasser Bourita, the President of the Andean Parliament, highlighted the progress and development dynamics witnessed in Morocco’s southern provinces.

Pacheco Villar also reaffirmed his determination to promote South-South cooperation between Latin America and Morocco, which serves not only as a gateway to Africa but also to Europe.

For his part, the Vice President of the Andean Parliament, Colombian MP Óscar Darío Pérez, commended Morocco’s development momentum under the leadership of King Mohammed VI, particularly in infrastructure, energy transition, environmental policies, poverty reduction, GDP growth, and the improvement of citizens’ quality of life.

He emphasized the importance of mutually beneficial South-South integration, particularly in economic and social fields, calling for strengthened cooperation in trade, industry, human development, technology, culture, and services.

Thanks to its economic growth and strategic geographic position, Morocco is now considered a key partner of both the European Union and the United States, Pérez noted, expressing the intention of the Andean Parliament’s member countries to benefit from the Kingdom’s proven expertise in these areas.

In this context, he stressed the crucial role that parliamentary diplomacy must play in strengthening ties between Morocco and Latin America.

The Andean parliament delegation, which is paying a visit to Morocco March 31-April 4, also held meetings with members of the two chambers of the Moroccan Parliament.

Speaking during these meetings, President of the Andean Parliament, Gustavo Pacheco Villar, said Morocco is a key partner for the Andean Parliament and highlighted the significant contribution of the Kingdom, as an observer member and advanced partner of the Andean Parliament, to the work of the regional legislative body. He also praised the longstanding ties between the North African kingdom and Latin America.

Pacheco Villar welcomed Morocco’s dynamic parliamentary diplomacy, calling it “one of the most effective on the international stage,” and reaffirmed the Andean Parliament’s support for Morocco’s territorial integrity.

Expressing readiness to strengthen coordination with Moroccan legislative institutions, he said the Andean Parliament, through its university network and in partnership with Moroccan institutions, plans to launch an academic program—including master’s and doctoral degrees—focused on relations between Morocco, the Arab world, Latin America, and the Caribbean.

The Andean Parliament was established on October 25, 1979 to represent the people of the five Andean States: Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Chile. The institution aims to harmonize legislation, foster cooperation between the parliaments of the Member States, support participatory democracy, and enhance the regional integration process.