Bamako (GNP): Mali has reaffirmed its support for Morocco’s territorial integrity and sovereignty over its entire territory, including the Sahara region, while endorsing Morocco’s proposed Autonomy Plan as the only credible path toward resolving the long-running regional dispute.
The position was outlined in a joint communiqué issued at the close of the 4th High-Level Joint Commission on Morocco-Mali Cooperation, held in Bamako under the co-chairmanship of Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita and Mali’s Foreign Minister Abdoulaye Diop.
Details of the Joint Communiqué
The communiqué reaffirmed Mali’s backing for the efforts of the UN Secretary-General and his Personal Envoy on the issue, as well as support for Morocco’s Autonomy Plan, describing it as the only realistic solution to the dispute in line with UN Security Council Resolution 2797, adopted in October 2025.
This position builds on Mali’s earlier announcement in April 2026, in which the government formally withdrew its recognition of the separatist Polisario movement.
Details of the Bilateral Meeting
The fourth session of the Morocco-Mali Joint Cooperation Commission took place July 21-24 in Bamako, providing an opportunity to review progress on bilateral cooperation since the previous session and outline new areas for expanding the partnership.
Discussions focused on priority sectors identified by both countries, including trade, investment, agriculture, infrastructure, mining, energy, health, education, security, culture, and sports.
Broader Diplomatic Context
This cooperation forms part of a wider diplomatic realignment between Bamako and Rabat, particularly around Morocco’s initiative to provide landlocked Sahel countries with access to Atlantic port infrastructure — a project Morocco has framed as a driver of regional economic development and integration.
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On the diplomatic front, relations between the two countries have shifted notably following Mali’s decision to withdraw recognition of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic and back Morocco’s autonomy proposal for Western Sahara.
Sohail Majeed is a Special Correspondent at The Diplomatic Insight. He has twelve plus years of experience in journalism & reporting. He covers International Affairs, Diplomacy, UN, Sports, Climate Change, Economy, Technology, and Health.
