Morocco Cancels Fertilizer Shipments to Peru Amid Diplomatic Crisis

Rabat - The Peruvian Congressman from the Popular Renewable Party Jose Cueto has confirmed that Morocco canceled the shipment of 150,000 tonnes of fertilizer to Peru after President Pedro Castillo re-established relations with the self-proclaimed Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR) in September.

The controversial move did not only cost Peru a much-needed shipment of fertilizer but they also lost Foreign Minister Miguel Angel Rodriguez Mackay, who resignedin September over a disagreement with Castillo’s approach to the country’s foreign policy. 

In an interview with Peruvian news outlet Exitosa Noticias, Cueto stated that Peru’s change of stance on the Western Sahara dispute has “created a serious conflict with another friendly country and several countries of the Arab world.”

The Peruvian congressman explained that, prior to the crisis, Morocco and Peru signed a “goodwill agreement” aiming to support Lima in overcoming its “failed purchases of fertilizers.” 

Morocco, a leading global producer of fertilizers, “not only offered (but) immediately executed the initial shipment of 150 thousand tonnes of urea fertilizers for us,” Cueto added, detailing that the fertilizers would have reached the country by the end of September.   

However, things did not go as planned, as on September 15, Peru’s ministry of foreign affairs issued a communique, reiterating “the sovereign will” of the government to re-establish relations with the self-proclaimed SADR in “accordance with Official Communiqué No. 017-2021, dated September 8, 2021.” 

The news came roughly one month after Lima withdrew its recognition of the Polisario separatists. The decision was the result of diplomatic consultations between the countries’ FMs, Nasser Bourita and Miguel Mackay.  

Despite facing criticism from some of the Peruvian diplomats such as Mackay, President Castillo maintained his recognition of what Cueto describes as the “phantom republic.” 

“Personally, what worries me most in foreign policy, and worries us in the Popular Renewable bench, is the issue of the famous Saharawi Republic,” Cueto told Exitosa Noticias. “Not even the UN endorses them and we are, unfortunately, endorsing the foreign policy with this phantom Republic, which has absolutely no benefit for our country.”

In spite of Peru’s recent revocation of its support for Morocco’s Autonomy Plan for the Western Sahara dispute, Rabat has gathered the support of over 30 countries.

Source: moroccoworldnews