Bolivia has revoked its recognition of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR), a partially recognized political entity in Western Sahara that is also claimed by Morocco, in an attempt to revive relations with Rabat, the Bolivian Foreign Ministry said in the early hours of Tuesday
NOUAKCHOTT (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 21st January, 2020) Bolivia has revoked its recognition of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR), a partially recognized political entity in Western Sahara that is also claimed by Morocco, in an attempt to revive relations with Rabat, the Bolivian Foreign Ministry said in the early hours of Tuesday.
"The ministry decided to withdraw its recognition of the Sahrawi Republic and cut all ties with it," the ministry said in a statement.
Bolivia confirmed that it would adopt the principle of neutrality with regard to the territorial dispute and support all efforts that were made within the UN framework so that a sustainable political solution on the matter could be reached.
Bolivia also said it intended to base its future relations with Morocco on "mutual respect for national sovereignty and territorial integrity."
Bolivian Foreign Minister Karen Longaric is currently working to restructure the foreign policy of interim President Jeanine Anez's administration, who came to power after Evo Morales was forced to step down due to a wave of public pressure � the former head of state won the October 20 election in his country, but opposition lawmakers refused to recognize the result over alleged irregularities in the vote-counting process.
Morocco has recently made important steps in the Western Sahara dispute, after a number of countries, including the Ivory Coast, Comoros, Gabon and Guinea, opened their diplomatic missions in Saharan provinces in southern Morocco at Rabat's request.
The SADR was created in 1976 by the Polisario Front political movement on the disputed territory of Western Sahara, a former Spanish colony. The SADR government controls only a small part of the territory, while Morocco governs the rest. Morocco has proposed a solution that involves granting autonomy to the SADR, while the United Nations has advocated a referendum on self-determination.
The SADR's sovereignty has been recognized by many nations in Africa, Latin America and Asia, while the Arab League backs Morocco's territorial integrity.
