The Royal Court of Morocco announced that US President Donald Trump sent a congratulatory message on the occasion of the 27th anniversary of King Mohammed VI's accession to the throne. In the message published on Saturday, Trump reaffirmed his support for Morocco on the Western Sahara issue.
Trump stated the following in his message:
The position of the United States is clear: we recognize Morocco's sovereignty over Western Sahara, and we support the serious, credible, and realistic Moroccan autonomy proposal as the sole basis for achieving a solution.
Any other path would only prolong the current situation, which is unacceptable. This dispute must now come to an end. The United States will continue to work towards making progress to achieve this goal.
Trump also noted that the vision of the King of Morocco for growth has opened doors of prosperity for the two peoples and the economies, and stated that he has instructed his team to strengthen economic and social development with Morocco, including the Western Sahara region.
The United States officially recognized Morocco's sovereignty over Western Sahara in December 2020. At that time, Washington had announced plans to open a consulate in the city of Dakhla in the region, but this step has not yet been implemented.
Morocco had proposed expanded autonomy for Western Sahara under its own sovereignty in 2007. The Polisario Front, supported by Algeria, demands a referendum for self-determination.