Ecuador has reaffirmed its support for Morocco's autonomy plan for the disputed Western Sahara region. During a meeting in Rabat on April 17, 2026, Ecuadorian Foreign Minister Gabriela Sommerfeld described the Moroccan proposal as "the only solution" to the long-standing conflict, according to statements from the Moroccan Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The autonomy plan, proposed by Morocco in 2007, offers significant self-governance for the region while keeping it under Moroccan sovereignty. The Polisario Front, which seeks full independence for Western Sahara, rejects the plan and insists on a referendum on self-determination as outlined in earlier UN resolutions.
Ecuador's position aligns it with a growing number of nations, including the United States, that view the autonomy initiative as a serious and credible basis for negotiations. The United Nations continues to lead mediation efforts, with the goal of achieving a "mutually acceptable political solution."
The status of Western Sahara remains a major point of contention in North Africa and at the UN. Morocco controls roughly 80% of the territory, while the Polisario Front administers a thin strip of land along the eastern border, with Algeria as its main backer.
