Dominican Republic recognises Morocco’s sovereignty over Western Sahara

Moroccans celebrate after the US adopted a new official map of Morocco that includes the disputed territory of Western Sahara in Rabat, Morocco on 13 December 2020 [FADEL SENNA/AFP/Getty Images]

The Dominican Republic has recognised Morocco’s sovereignty over the Western Sahara, news sites reported on Sunday.

In a letter, Foreign Minister of the Dominican Republic, Roberto Alvarez, told his Moroccan counterpart, Nasser Bourita, that his country “reiterates its absolute recognition of the Moroccanness of the Sahara.”

The Moroccan Foreign Ministry also said that Santo Domingo plans to open a consulate in the city of Dakhla of the Western Sahara, which is controlled by Morocco.

Earlier this month, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sent a letter to Moroccan King Mohammed VI notifying him of Tel Aviv’s decision to recognise Rabat’s sovereignty over the Western Sahara.

The Western Sahara, a former colony of Spain, was transferred to the control of Morocco and Mauritania in 1975. A year later, the Polisario Front, a local nationalist movement, proclaimed the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic on the territory of the Western Sahara.

Since then, the Polisario Front – backed by Algeria – has been fighting the Moroccan government over control over the region.

READ: The pros and cons of Israel recognising Morocco’s sovereignty over the Western Sahara

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