Trump announces highway that will connect Morocco to Western Sahara

The southern section of the highway, in Dakhla, will be connected to the city's Atlantic megaport, currently under construction and scheduled to open in 2028.

In a speech cited by the Europa Press agency, Donald Trump thanked the king of Morocco and declared:

"Thank you to the much respected Mohammed VI, King of Morocco. What a great honor. I hope to be able to travel this entire great highway someday. I hope it is soon."

The former Spanish colony of Western Sahara was occupied by Morocco in 1975, despite armed resistance from the Polisario Front until 1991, when the two parties signed a ceasefire with the aim of holding a self-determination referendum.

Disagreements over the conduct of the consultation, especially in relation to the inclusion or exclusion of Moroccan settlers in the process, have prevented the referendum from being held to this day.

The most recent setback for the Sahrawi people was the support of the governments of Spain and France for the autonomy plan proposed by Morocco. The change of position was classified as a betrayal by the Polisario Front, which considers that Spain is still the administering power of Western Sahara.

Donald Trump has been a supporter of the Moroccan proposal since he recognized Rabat's sovereignty over Western Sahara at the end of 2020, shortly before ending his first term as president of the United States.

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