Morocco, Chile to begin negotiating a free-trade agreement

Morocco ​and Chile agreed ​on Monday to ‌begin negotiating ​a free-trade agreement after Santiago recognized Rabat's sovereignty ‌over Western Sahara, Morocco's foreign ministry said. The two countries' foreign ministers signed the terms of reference ‌for the free-trade talks on the ‌sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York, in the presence of Chilean President José Antonio ⁠Kast, ​the ⁠ministry said on its website.

Chile also expressed support ⁠for a 2025 UN Security Council resolution that ​calls on parties to the Western ⁠Sahara conflict to negotiate on the basis of Morocco's ⁠autonomy ​proposal, the ministry said, citing a joint statement. The long-frozen Western Sahara conflict ⁠pits Morocco, which considers the territory its own, ⁠against ⁠the Algeria-backed Polisario Front, which seeks an independent state there.