The 3rd South-South Parliamentary Cooperation Forum, held on April 28 and 29 in Rabat at the headquarters of the House of Councillors, marked a significant step for Morocco in engaging with some of the Polisario's historical allies. On the sidelines of the event, the President of the Upper House, Mohamed Ouled Errachid, signed a cooperation agreement with the President of the Senate of Lesotho, Mamonaheng Mokitimi, aimed at enhancing dialogue between the two parliamentary institutions. It is important to note that Lesotho, a Southern African country, recognizes the «Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic» (SADR). Morocco's efforts to persuade Lesotho's authorities to reconsider their stance on the Western Sahara issue have yet to succeed. This is evident from the failed attempt by Lesotho's former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ledego Calayl Makghoti, to suspend his country's recognition of the «SADR». This decision was announced on December 10, 2019, in Rabat, following discussions with his Moroccan counterpart, Nasser Bourita. The third edition of the Forum also provided Morocco an opportunity to engage with Bolivia, another Polisario supporter in Latin America. The Bolivian Senate President, Andrónico Rodríguez, attended the forum and met with the President of the House of Representatives, Rachid Talbi Alami, and the Director-General of International Policies at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Fouad Yazough, as reported by a Bolivian media outlet. This visit followed preparatory talks between Rodríguez and Moroccan Ambassador Amine Chaoudri in La Paz, according to the same source. Recently, Morocco opened an honorary consulate in Bolivia. «This inauguration marks an important step in our rapprochement and reflects the firm desire to strengthen the bonds of brotherhood between our peoples», Rodríguez told the press. For the record, Bolivia reestablished diplomatic relations with the SADR in September 2021, after a suspension lasting just over a year.
