Ecuador reaffirmed on Friday its support for the autonomy initiative presented by Morocco in 2007, describing it as the only serious, credible, and realistic resolution to the regional dispute over the Sahara.
This position was stated in a Joint Communiqué signed in Rabat following talks between Ecuadorian Minister of Foreign Affairs Gabriela Sommerfeld, who is on a working visit to the Kingdom, and her Moroccan peer Nasser Bourita.
Ecuador also welcomed the adoption of UN Security Council Resolution 2797 (2025), reaffirming that autonomy under Moroccan sovereignty is the most feasible solution to put an end to the regional dispute.
The two countries also reaffirmed their support for the Personal Envoy of the UN Secretary-General for the Sahara, as well as for the efforts made to progress the political process for a definitive solution to the dispute.
The Joint Communiqué further underlined that Ecuador has decided to extend its consular reach to the Moroccan Sahara, in line with international law.
Likewise, Ecuador expressed its willingness to promote economic and trade cooperation opportunities in the Moroccan Sahara, opening promising prospects towards the African continent in favor of its economic sectors and to bolster exchanges in terms of investment, trade, and productive development.
The Ecuadorian minister also announced that Ecuador’s ambassador to Rabat is set to pay a visit to the Sahara region in the near future to prepare and support several economic initiatives.
The Joint Communiqué stated further that Ecuador reaffirmed its appreciation for the leadership of King Mohammed VI in Africa, and lauded the structuring reforms undertaken by Morocco to promote its political, economic, and social development and strengthen its stability and prosperity.
The document highlighted the Royal Initiatives that promote regional integration, stability, and the development of the continent.
In this connection, the Ecuadorian Foreign Minister emphasized the royal initiative aiming to provide Sahel countries with access to the Atlantic Ocean, the African Atlantic States Process, as well as the African-Atlantic Gas Pipeline megaproject, which aims to bolster regional integration and stimulate economic development along the African Atlantic coast and beyond.
Sommerfeld further praised Morocco’s role as a key player in Africa and a strategic partner in the fight against terrorism, transnational crime, and South-South cooperation.
The Ecuadorian Foreign Minister, who is accompanied during her visit by a delegation of private sector representatives, later in the day held a meeting with Minister of Industry and Trade, Ryad Mezzour, that discussed ways of strengthening economic and trade relations, consolidating win-win economic partnerships, and fostering closer ties between the economic operators of both countries.
Sommerfeld stated during the meeting that bilateral relations between Quito and Rabat are experiencing positive momentum, and underlined her country’s willingness to move to a new stage focused on the development of trade.
The objective is to establish Morocco as a strategic platform for Ecuador toward Africa, while positioning Ecuador as a key ally of the Kingdom in Latin America, she said.
For his part, Mezzour said that this visit provided opportunity to explore possible synergies to integrate Ecuadorian products into African value chains through the Moroccan hub and to promote structuring projects between companies from both nations.
The minister also affirmed that this phase of rapprochement is part of a vision of sustainable economic complementarity, aimed at leveraging the respective geostrategic advantages of Morocco and Ecuador.
Both parties reiterated their commitment to placing bilateral relations on a path of a lasting partnership, serving economic growth and bringing Africa and Latin America closer together.
