Republic of Panama Renews Its Recognition of Morocco’s Sovereignty over the Sahara and Reaffirms Full Support for Autonomy Plan as the Only Solution to the Dispute

ALDAR / Meryem Hafiani

The Republic of Panama has once again explicitly reaffirmed its recognition of Morocco’s sovereignty over its southern provinces, announcing its adoption of the autonomy initiative presented by the Kingdom in 2007 as the realistic and only applicable solution to end the artificial dispute over the Sahara. This position was expressed by Panama’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Javier Eduardo Martinez-Acha Vasquez, in a televised address on the occasion of the 26th anniversary of His Majesty King Mohammed VI’s accession to the throne, stressing that the autonomy proposal enjoys the support of the international community and stands as the most credible, serious, and realistic option to resolve this issue.

This statement crowns a series of successive positions taken by Panama in recent months to consolidate its support for Morocco’s territorial integrity, starting with the decision to suspend relations with the separatist entity in November 2024, followed by a reaffirmation of this decision during a meeting with Moroccan Minister of Foreign Affairs Nasser Bourita, and culminating in the joint declaration issued in Rabat in June 2025, which clearly stated support for the autonomy plan as the optimal framework for settlement.

This step is particularly significant given Panama’s current role as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council for the 2025–2026 term, which lends weight to its position in UN discussions on the Sahara issue. It also reinforces the growing international momentum in favor of Morocco’s approach, with the majority of Council members—about 70%—considering it time to resolve the dispute within the framework of Moroccan sovereignty.

This renewed position reflects the success of Moroccan diplomacy, led by His Majesty King Mohammed VI, in expanding international support for the autonomy initiative and weakening separatist narratives that have lost much of their legitimacy on the global stage.