Ecuador has reaffirmed its support for Morocco's autonomy plan for the disputed Western Sahara region. The position was stated by Ecuadorian Foreign Minister Gabriela Sommerfeld during an official visit to Rabat on April 17, 2026.
Minister Sommerfeld described Morocco's 2007 autonomy initiative as a "serious and credible" solution to the long-standing regional dispute. The plan proposes making Western Sahara an autonomous region under Moroccan sovereignty.
The Polisario Front, which seeks independence for the territory, rejects the autonomy proposal and insists on a referendum on self-determination. The status of Western Sahara remains a major point of contention in North African geopolitics.
Ecuador's statement aligns it with a growing number of countries that have expressed support for the Moroccan plan in recent years. The United States recognized Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara in 2020 in exchange for Morocco normalizing relations with Israel.
