Sahara: Trump sends diplomatic & military delegation to Laayoune

A U.S. delegation composed of diplomats and military officials from the American Embassy in Rabat reportedly arrived on Monday in the Moroccan Saharan city of Laayoune for talks with MINURSO leadership,including Head of UN Mission Alexander Ivanko and Commander of MINURSO Force,Major Gen. Fakhrul Ahsan.

According to press reports,talks are expected to focus on the challenges facing the UN mission,especially the Polisario violations and restrictions of the freedom of the movement of the MINURSO. The Polisario provocative acts have prevented the UN mission from maintaining a safe and reliable logistics,maintenance and resupply chain to its team sites east of the berm. These violations have been documented and reported to the UN.

The visit of the U.S. delegation comes amidst a growing international and regional recognition of Morocco’s sovereignty over its Sahara and support for the Autonomy plan offered by Rabat as the ONLY realistic solution to the decades-long conflict.

The American move also comes ahead of the upcoming meeting of the UN Security Council expected to take pivotal decisions on the Sahara issue as three of the five veto holders (the United States,the United Kingdom and France) are joining forces for the closure of the Sahara conflict this year for the sake of regional peace and stability.

The United States is the penholder of the resolutions on the Sahara at the UN Security Council and this trip shows the importance of the Sahara for the Trump administration which follows closely the evolution of the situation on the ground.

In 2020,Trump announced the American recognition of Morocco’s full sovereignty over its entire Saharan territory and expressed unwavering support for the “serious,credible and realistic” Autonomy plan proposed by Rabat under its sovereignty as the ONLY viable solution to the Sahara conflict.

In an official letter sent lately to King Mohammed VI on the occasion of the Throne Day,President Trump has reiterated America’s steadfast backing to Morocco’s sovereignty over the Sahara and support for the Kingdom’s Autonomy Proposal as “the only basis for a just and lasting solution to the dispute”.

The letter is an evidence of the U.S. irreversible supportive stand of Morocco’s territorial integrity and a confirmation of the strength of the American-Moroccan strategic partnership based on longstanding friendship,shared values,and common geostrategic interests.