Colombia recognizes Moroccan sovereignty over the Sahara, freezes relations with "rasd

This announcement followed a meeting between Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita, Colombian Vice President José Manuel Restrepo, and Colombian Minister of External Relations Omar Bula Escobar. The Colombian Ministry of External Relations officially announced on August 10 the freezing of relations with the "rasd" after a "sovereign re-examination" of the recognition granted by the previous government. This decision means that the number of states still recognizing the "rasd" has fallen below thirty for the first time since September 1979, now standing at 29.

Since 1976, 84 states have recognized the "rasd" at some point, with more than half having since withdrawn, suspended, or abandoned this recognition. In the last 22 months, seven countries, including Ecuador, Panama, Ghana, Bolivia, Mali, Honduras, and now Colombia, have ceased to recognize the "rasd". Conversely, no new countries have joined the group supporting the "rasd" in the last twenty years.

Currently, 58 countries recognize Moroccan sovereignty over the Sahara, 57 support Morocco's autonomy plan, and 51 are classified as neutral. Major developments include the United States' recognition in December 2020 and France's current recognition of Moroccan sovereignty. Countries like Spain, Germany, the United Kingdom, Belgium, Portugal, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Poland, Sweden, Cana