Contrary to the hopes of the Polisario and Algeria, the Trump administration has publicly reaffirmed its recognition of Morocco's sovereignty over Western Sahara—a diplomatic win for the Kingdom just days ahead of the April 14 UN Security Council meeting. As anticipated, Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita met with his American counterpart, Marco Rubio, this Tuesday, April 8, in Washington. At the center of their discussions was the Western Sahara issue, with news favoring Morocco. «The Secretary reiterated that the United States recognizes Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara and supports Morocco's serious, credible, and realistic Autonomy Proposal as the only basis for a just and lasting solution to the dispute», stated a spokesperson for the U.S. State Department. «The United States continues to believe that genuine autonomy under Moroccan sovereignty is the only feasible solution». Setbacks for Algeria and the Polisario Rubio also «reaffirmed President Trump's urging for the parties to engage in discussions without delay, using Morocco's Autonomy Proposal as the only framework, to negotiate a mutually acceptable solution». This stance deals a significant blow to Algeria and the Polisario Front, who remain committed to the option of a referendum. Rubio further emphasized that the U.S. is committed to facilitating negotiations to reach this goal—a position aligned with former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who declared on January 5, 2021 : «We will continue to support political negotiations to resolve issues between Morocco and the Polisario within the framework of Morocco's autonomy plan». These developments come just days ahead of a United Nations Security Council meeting scheduled for April 14, where the Western Sahara issue will be on the agenda. Reinforcing U.S.-Morocco ties Beyond the Sahara issue, Bourita and Rubio «affirmed the strong U.S.-Morocco partnership in advancing peace and security, under President Trump's and King Mohammed VI's leadership». They also discussed efforts to advance shared regional priorities, particularly by building on the Abraham Accords, and expanding trade cooperation for the benefit of both American and Moroccan citizens. The Secretary reiterated President Trump's clear position that Hamas must immediately release all hostages, and praised Morocco's leadership in fostering a better future for Israelis, Palestinians, and all peoples in the region—a topic previously raised during their phone call on January 27. For the record, Morocco has publicly called for the release of all Palestinian and Israeli prisoners.
