The United States reaffirmed its recognition of Morocco's sovereignty over Western Sahara during official remarks made in Rabat on Thursday [1, 2].
This diplomatic stance signals a continued U.S. commitment to Morocco's autonomy proposal as the primary framework for ending a decades-old territorial dispute. By backing Rabat, the U.S. aims to accelerate a conclusion to a conflict that has destabilized the region for decades.
U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau said, "The United States recognizes Morocco's sovereignty over the Sahara" [2]. Landau said he called for a "swift resolution to the conflict" [1].
The dispute over the territory has been ongoing since 1975 [1]. The U.S. position aligns with previous statements from President Donald J. Trump, who previously highlighted the "USA's recognition of Moroccan sovereignty over the Sahara and its support for the Moroccan Autonomy Proposal as the only basis for a just and lasting solution" [3].
Landau's remarks in Rabat emphasize the U.S. view that Morocco's proposal is the most viable path toward peace. The administration continues to push for a settlement that would resolve the legal and political status of the region, a move intended to provide stability in North Africa.
Officials said that the recognition is intended to provide the necessary momentum to move past the stalemate that has characterized the region's politics since the mid-1970s [1, 2].
“"The United States recognizes Morocco's sovereignty over the Sahara"”
The U.S. reaffirmation of Moroccan sovereignty reinforces a strategic alliance in North Africa and puts pressure on opposing factions to accept the Moroccan Autonomy Proposal. By explicitly backing Rabat, the U.S. is prioritizing a pragmatic, state-led resolution over the long-stalled process of international referendums, signaling that it views Morocco's administration as the only viable path to regional stability.
