Ecuador has reaffirmed its support for Morocco's Autonomy Initiative as the "most serious, realistic, and credible" solution for resolving the Western Sahara dispute. The statement was made by Ecuador's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Gabriela Sommerfeld, during a meeting with her Moroccan counterpart, Nasser Bourita, in Rabat on April 17, 2026.
The Autonomy Initiative, proposed by Morocco in 2007, offers significant self-governance for the Sahara region under Moroccan sovereignty. The plan is presented as a compromise solution to the long-standing territorial conflict, which involves the Polisario Front seeking independence for the area they call the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic.
Ecuador's position aligns it with a growing number of nations, including the United States, Spain, Germany, and several Arab and African states, that view the Moroccan plan as a viable basis for negotiations. The United Nations continues to list Western Sahara as a non-self-governing territory and has mandated a political process to achieve a "just, lasting, and mutually acceptable" solution.
The reaffirmation of support from Ecuador, a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council for the 2023-2024 term, represents continued diplomatic momentum for Morocco's stance on the issue. The meeting also covered bilateral cooperation, with the two countries signing agreements on visa exemption for diplomatic passports and political consultations.
