The elected Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella announced a plan to close 14 Colombian embassies around the world, including the embassy in Algeria, as part of a broad restructuring process of diplomatic representation aimed at reducing expenses and improving efficiency.
This decision, which will take effect after he assumes the presidency on August 7, 2026, is viewed in the context of a wider shift in Colombian foreign policy away from the directions of his predecessor Gustavo Petro.
The announcement comes alongside increasing expectations of improving relations between Bogotá and Rabat, and the possibility of reviewing or withdrawing recognition of the Democratic Arab Republic of Sahara (known as the Polisario Republic), which Petro recognized in August 2022 after years of suspension.
King Mohammed VI was among the first leaders to congratulate the elected president. In an official congratulatory message sent on June 23, 2026, the king expressed his warm congratulations and best wishes for success in the noble mission entrusted to him by the Colombian people.
The king reaffirmed the Kingdom of Morocco’s readiness to “inject new momentum into the friendly relations it shares with the Republic of Colombia,” expressing his intention for joint work to open new partnership horizons in various areas of mutual interest, within a framework of constructive dialogue and mutual respect for national sovereignty.
The message was published through the Moroccan official agency and social media platforms, and the relevant Colombian parties responded with positive signals affirming the desire to elevate bilateral relations in areas of cooperation, trade, investment, food security, and Atlantic communication.
Observers believe that the decision to close the embassy in Algeria, along with severing relations with Cuba and Nicaragua and reopening the embassy in Jerusalem while suspending the embassy project in Palestine, reflects a pragmatic direction moving away from previous ideological alignments.
During Petro’s tenure, Colombia had strengthened its relations with the Polisario Front, which raised tensions with Morocco. The new administration, diplomatic analyses suggest, may join a number of Latin American countries that have withdrawn or suspended their recognition of the separatist entity in recent years.
The final decision regarding recognition of the Polisario Republic remains contingent upon official steps after de la Espriella assumes office. However, the early Moroccan royal message, the positive exchanged language, and the announcement of diplomatic restructuring including Algeria are all indicators supporting expectations of a new phase of cooperation between Morocco and Colombia, based on mutual respect for sovereignty and common interests.
