Trump reiterates his backing for Morocco’s authority over the Western Sahara
United States President Donald Trump has reiterated his support for Morocco’s sovereignty over Western Sahara, claiming that the only way to resolve the disputed region is through a Moroccan autonomy plan for the region, according to MAP, the state news agency, on Saturday.
The Algeria-backed Polisario Front, which wants to establish an independent state in the region, is facing Morocco, which claims the territory as its own, in the long-frozen battle.
Trump acknowledged Morocco’s claims to the Western Sahara, which contains rich fishing grounds and phosphate reserves, near the end of his first term in office as part of an agreement that called for Morocco to normalize relations with Israel.
In April, his secretary of state Marco Rubio clarified that the United States continued to assist Morocco on the matter, but they were Trump’s first quoted statements on the conflict during his second term.
In a message to King Mohammed VI of Morocco, Trump reportedly stated, “I also reiterate that the United States recognizes Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara and supports Morocco’s serious, credible, and realistic autonomy proposal as the only basis for a just and lasting solution to the dispute” (MAP).
“Together we are advancing shared priorities for peace and security in the region, including by building on the Abraham Accords, combating terrorism and expanding commercial cooperation,” President Trump stated.
The Abraham Accords, which were signed during Trump’s first term, called for the normalization of diplomatic relations between Israel and four Muslim-majority nations following U.S. mediation.
The United States and France were the first two permanent members of the U.N. Security Council to support an autonomy plan for the region under Moroccan sovereignty; Britain joined them in June of this year.
The self-declared Sahrawi Republic is recognized by Algeria, which has insisted on conducting a vote with the option of independence and has declined to participate in roundtables the U.N. envoy to Western Sahara has organized.
