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Rabat — Guatemala threw its full support behind Morocco’s Autonomy Plan for Western Sahara on Thursday, calling it the only realistic path to resolving the decades-old territorial dispute.
Foreign Minister Carlos Ramiro Martinez Alvarado told reporters that Morocco’s 2007 Autonomy Plan represents “the only serious, credible, and realistic basis for progress toward a lasting agreement for a definitive settlement of this artificial conflict.”
Alvarado made the statements following a meeting with his Moroccan counterpart, Nasser Bourita, in Rabat.
The Guatemalan foreign minister stressed that any solution must respect the North African country’s territorial integrity and national sovereignty.
He also expressed his country’s total support for Morocco’s efforts to find a political solution that works for all parties involved.
During the talks, both countries reaffirmed their commitment to the fundamental principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Guatemala has emerged as one of Morocco’s strongest supporters in Latin America on the Western Sahara dispute.
The Central American nation made history in December 2022 when it became the first Latin American country to open a consulate general in Dakhla, a city in the disputed territory.
Last month, Guatemala’s diplomat at the UN described Morocco’s Autonomy Plan as “a realistic and credible foundation” for any future agreement.
The Western Sahara dispute has dragged on for nearly five decades since Spain withdrew from the territory in 1975.
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Morocco controls about 80% of the region as it stands as an integral part of its territory, while the Algeria-backed Polisario Front holds independence claims over the area.
Morocco’s autonomy plan proposes giving the territory self-governance under Moroccan sovereignty and has growing international support from several prominent countries, including the US, which recognized the country’s sovereignty over the Sahara in 2020.
The backing from Guatemala adds to Morocco’s diplomatic momentum in building international support for its position on the territorial dispute.
