- Support for Morocco’s Sahara autonomy plan
- End to diplomatic ambiguity
- Peru’s diplomatic shift
- Morocco’s diplomatic offensive
Peru’s newly elected president, Keiko Fujimori, has begun outlining key foreign policy priorities in the early weeks following her highly contested election victory. One of the most significant involves Peru’s stance on Morocco’s territorial integrity, a position clarified during a meeting with Morocco’s ambassador to Peru, Amine Chaoudri, who delivered a congratulatory letter from King Mohammed VI.
Support for Morocco’s Sahara autonomy plan
According to statements from the president-elect’s office, Fujimori informed the Moroccan ambassador that her government will support Morocco’s territorial integrity and its autonomy plan for Western Sahara. This marks a decisive break from previous Peruvian administrations that maintained ambiguous positions on the issue.
Fujimori also pledged her government’s backing for UN Security Council Resolution 2797, which endorses Morocco’s autonomy initiative as a viable framework for resolving the regional dispute. During the meeting, the Moroccan ambassador presented Fujimori with a letter from King Mohammed VI congratulating her on her election and emphasizing the strong historical ties between Morocco and Peru.
The monarch highlighted the excellent relations between the two nations, built on mutual respect and shared values, and expressed his commitment to strengthening bilateral cooperation into a comprehensive partnership that benefits both peoples.
End to diplomatic ambiguity
Fujimori’s position carries particular significance, representing a clear departure from past Peruvian governments that either maintained deliberate ambiguity or openly supported the Polisario Front. This shift becomes even more notable when considering Peru’s historical stance on the Sahara issue.
The country’s recognition of the self-proclaimed Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR) dates back to the second term of President Fernando Belaúnde Terry (1980-1985), who extended diplomatic recognition in 1984. His successor, Alan García, established formal relations with the SADR in 1987, which continued until 1996 when President Alberto Fujimori (Keiko Fujimori’s father) suspended them.
This status quo persisted for the next 25 years through the presidencies of Valentín Paniagua, Alejandro Toledo, Alan García’s second term, Ollanta Humala, Pedro Pablo Kuczynski, Martín Vizcarra, Manuel Merino, and Francisco Sagasti.
Peru’s diplomatic shift
The brief presidency of Pedro Castillo (July 2021-December 2022) saw a controversial resumption of diplomatic relations with the Polisario Front in September 2021. However, his foreign minister, Miguel Ángel Rodríguez Mackat, reversed this decision in August 2022 by announcing the withdrawal of recognition and termination of relations with the separatist entity while reaffirming respect for Morocco’s territorial integrity.
Castillo subsequently disavowed his minister’s decision and reinstated relations with the Polisario. His presidency ended abruptly when he was removed from office following an attempted power grab. His successor, Dina Boluarte, maintained the status quo for several months before suspending diplomatic relations with the Polisario in September 2023. However, she stopped short of withdrawing the recognition extended in 1984 or endorsing Morocco’s autonomy plan, leaving Peru’s position on the issue still somewhat ambiguous.
The brief tenures of José Jeri and José María Balcázar prevented them from addressing the matter. Fujimori’s election now signals a return to the position adopted by her father in 1996, with an even stronger commitment to supporting Morocco’s territorial integrity, sovereignty over Western Sahara, the autonomy initiative, and UN Security Council Resolution 2797.
Morocco’s diplomatic offensive
Peru’s policy shift aligns with Morocco’s intensified diplomatic efforts across Latin America, where the Polisario Front had previously enjoyed significant support. This campaign has involved enhanced economic, cultural, and educational cooperation, positioning Morocco as a strategic gateway to Africa, Europe, and the Arab world.
As a result, several countries that had recognized the self-proclaimed SADR have either suspended this recognition or severed diplomatic ties. These include Colombia, Guatemala, Paraguay, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, Jamaica, El Salvador, Guyana, Ecuador, and Panama.
