Moroccan and U.S flag emblems are seen outside the provisional consulate of the U.S in Dakhla, Morocco-administered Western Sahara, Jan. 10, 2021. (AP Photo/Noureddine Abakchou)
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UPDATED 8:14 AM PT – Monday, January 11, 2021
The Trump administration has advanced diplomatic recognition of Western Sahara as part of the Kingdom of Morocco. On Sunday, assistant Secretary of State David Schenker and Ambassador to Morocco David Fischer met with top Moroccan officials to reaffirm mutual ties.
Morocco recently agreed to normalize ties with Israel as part of President Trump’s peace deal. Officials said good relations between Israel and Arab nations is the only way to ensure peace in the region.
“We sought a peaceful resolution for this frozen conflict and, again last month, President Trump acknowledged the inevitable and stated the obvious: the Sahara is Moroccan,” stated Ambassador Fischer. “And Morocco has the only just and lasting solution to resolve the fate of this territory.”
Mr. Schenker: I just met with MFA Bourita to discuss our shared foreign policy goals and to review recent developments. I can announce with a fervent heart that the U.S-Morocco relation is as strong as ever, and our best years are ahead of us.🇲🇦🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/TmTtjiirof
— Moroccan Diplomacy 🇲🇦 (@Marocdiplo_EN) January 10, 2021
Morocco has occupied parts of Western Sahara since the end of Spanish rule in 1975 and some local tribes are still demanding full independence for the contested territory.
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