Ecuador withdraws recognition of self-proclaimed Sahrawi Republic

Ecuador has decided to withdraw its recognition of the self-proclaimed Sahrawi Arab democratic Republic (SADR) that it has recognized in 1983, MAP has learnt from the Moroccan Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation.

Ecuador authorities have sent to their representative to the United Nations a note informing this organization of this decision.

On his part, Ecuador Ambassador to Colombia informed the Moroccan Embassy there of this decision.

" Given the current situation in the Sahara, the Republic of Ecuador considers opportune to withdraw its recognition of the SADR," Ecuador authorities said.

Ecuador is the eighth Central and South American country to withdraw its recognition of the puppet SADR during the past five years, after Costa Rica, Dominican republic, Honduras, Salvador, Nicaragua, Paraguay and Colombia.

Brazil and Chile, both non permanent members of the UN Security Council, as well as Argentina, Guatemala and Uruguay, have never recognized the so-called Sahrawi Republic, while Mexico and Panama have reduced their relations with this entity, set up in the southwestern Algerian territory by the separatist movement "Polisario." The latter is claiming independence of the Moroccan Sahara, previously known as Western Sahara. The former Spanish colony was retrieved by Morocco in 1975 under the Madrid Accords signed with Spain and Mauritania.