Morocco–Peru relations

Morocco–Peru relations
Map indicating locations of Morocco and Peru

Morocco
Peru
Diplomatic mission
Embassy of Morocco, LimaEmbassy of Peru, Rabat

Morocco–Peru relations refers to the current and historical relations between Peru and Morocco. Both countries are members of the Non-Aligned Movement.

Although generally amicable, relations between both countries have been affected by the Western Sahara conflict, specifically the establishment of relations between Peru and the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic.[1][2]

History

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Relations became official at the end of 1964 during the governments of Peruvian president Fernando Belaúnde and Hassan II of Morocco. Although it is only since 2004, with the visit of Mohammed VI to Peru, the first Arab, Muslim and African Head of State in the South American country, where Peruvian-Moroccan relations intensified.[3]

In 1999, and from 2012 to the present day, Peru has sent troops to the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara.[4]

In 2014, the Peruvian president Ollanta Humala, through a representative in Rabat, gave a speech on the relations both countries in front of the then prime minister Abdelilah Benkirane. The Moroccan government created a public space in Rabat called Peru Plaza.[5]

In 2019, the then President of the Congress of Peru, Daniel Salaverry, stated that "Peru has maintained diplomatic relations with Morocco for more than fifty years. Time during which these ties have been strengthened through delegations that have visited both countries" in front of the Moroccan ambassador Youssef Balla.[6]

On May 10, 2023, the embassy of Morocco in Lima held the first edition of the Lima Caftan Fashion Show, a charity event dedicated to improving the services of the National Institute of Child Health (NICH) in Breña.[7]

Western Sahara conflict

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See also: Peru–Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic relations

Peru maintained an embassy in Rabat, which closed from 1973 to 1986 due to the unavailability of a chargé d'affaires. During this time, the ambassador in Madrid was accredited to the country, and Peru established diplomatic relations with the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR), which did not appear to disturb its relations with Morocco.[8][9]

After relations with the SADR were frozen in 1996,[10] Peru maintained an ambiguous position on the recognition of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic, maintaining a de facto legitimization from the government of Alberto Fujimori (1990-2000) to the Moroccan occupation of Western Sahara, which is not unrecognized by the international community.[11] This position was seen again when in September 2017 the representative of the SADR, Khadijetou El Mokhtar, was prohibited from leaving Jorge Chávez International Airport. El Mohtar had to meet with the then president Pedro Pablo Kuczynski, which ultimately did not happen.[12]

On September 9, 2021, during the government of Pedro Castillo, Peru re-established diplomatic relations with the SADR,[13] which was criticised by the Congress of Peru.[14]

In 2022, the Peruvian Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that it suspended its relations with the SADR and that it instead "values the territorial integrity of the Kingdom of Morocco," also mentioning that it would improve its relations with the country through commercial trade, including fertilizer.[15] This particular item was highlighted by some commentators, who noted that the Moroccan-controlled area of Western Sahara are home to the largest open-air phosphate mines in the world, with phosphate being fundamental in the manufacturing of fertilizers.[2] Despite this, relations were again re-established with the SADR in September of the same year.[16]

High-level visits

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High-level visit from Morocco to Peru

Trade

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The commercial exchange between Morocco and Peru in the mid-2010s reached US$ 24 million.[19] In 2015, the governments of both countries began talks for the creation of a free trade agreement.[20]

Resident diplomatic missions

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  • Morocco has an embassy in Lima.
  • Peru has an embassy in Rabat.

See also

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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Relations of Morocco and Peru.

References

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  1. ^ Charbi, Mohamed (2021-09-09). "Marruecos-Perú: Relaciones Amenazadas Por La Izquierda Radical". Rue20 en español.
  2. ^ a b Kahhat, Farid (2022-09-04). "El Perú y el Sahara Occidental". El Comercio.
  3. ^ "RELACIONES ENTRE PERÚ Y MARRUECOS SON EJEMPLARES". Congress of Peru. 2017-01-11.
  4. ^ "Misiones de Paz". Gob.pe. Comando Conjunto de las Fuerzas Armadas.
  5. ^ "Marruecos y Perú cumplen 50 años de relaciones y lo festejan en Rabat". La Vanguardia. 2014-06-19.
  6. ^ "Perú y Marruecos están vinculados por relaciones en constante evolución". Maroc.ma. 2019-01-21.
  7. ^ "Embajada de Marruecos impulsa evento a beneficio del Instituto de Salud del Niño de Breña". Andina. 2023-05-10.
  8. ^ Avilés Flores, Fiorella Kristell (2019). EL RECONOCIMIENTO DEL PERÚ A LA RASD Y LA POSICIÓN DEL PERÚ SOBRE EL CONFLICTO EN EL SAHARA OCCIDENTAL 35 AÑOS DESPUÉS (PDF) (in Spanish). Academia Diplomática del Perú Javier Pérez de Cuéllar. p. 53.
  9. ^ Muñoz, Heraldo (1987). Las Políticas exteriores de America latina y el Caribe: continuidad en la crisis (in Spanish). Grupo Editor Latinoamericano. p. 278. ISBN 9789509432864. En lo que respecta al Africa sahariana y el Medio Oriente, además de la reapertura de la Embajada del Perú en Marruecos, se han establecido relaciones diplomáticas con Arabia Saudita en abril de 1986, con Bahrein y Oman en mayo de 1986 y con los Emiratos Árabes Unidos en junio de 1986. Además, se han establecido relaciones con el Reino Hachemita de Jordania en octubre de 1985, con Malasia en abril de 1986 y finalmente con la SWAPO, Movimiento de Liberación del pueblo de Namibia.
  10. ^ Ricardo Sánchez Serra (11 December 2008). "El estoicismo del pueblo saharaui". La Razón (in Spanish). Retrieved 22 August 2012.
  11. ^ "Perú y República Saharaui restablecen relaciones luego de 25 años". Infobae. 2021-09-10.
  12. ^ "Diplomática saharaui culpa a políticos "corruptos" tras ser expulsada del Perú". Gestión. 2017-09-28.
  13. ^ "Tras 25 años, Perú reanuda relaciones con República Saharaui". Associated Press. Publimetro. 2021-09-09.
  14. ^ "Relaciones con la República Árabe Saharaui se hizo con pleno respeto al derecho internacional". El Peruano. 2021-09-13.
  15. ^ "Comunicado Oficial del Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores". Gob.pe. 2022-08-18.
  16. ^ "República Saharaui destaca "renovación" de relaciones diplomáticas con Perú". swissinfo.ch. 9 September 2022. Retrieved 11 September 2022.
  17. ^ "VISITAS PROTOCOLARES RECIBIDAS POR EL PRESIDENTE DE LA COMISIÓN DE RELACIONES EXTERIORES". Congress of Peru.
  18. ^ "Más de 400 empresarios de América del Sur y Árabes se reúnen en el III Encuentro Empresarial ASPA 2012". Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores. 2012-10-02.
  19. ^ "Crece intercambio comercial entre Perú y Marruecos". Gestión.
  20. ^ "Perú y Marruecos iniciarán diálogo el 2015 para firmar TLC". RPP Noticias. 2014-06-25.
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