Diplomats and military officials from the United States Embassy in Rabat are set to visit Laayoune this Monday, August 18. Their itinerary includes meetings with top officials from MINURSO in the Sahara, notably the special representative of the UN Secretary-General for Western Sahara and head of MINURSO, Russian Alexander Ivanko. This visit to the UN mission's headquarters in Laayoune coincides with the Security Council's preparations to adopt a new resolution at the end of October, which aims to extend MINURSO's mandate in the region for another year. Prior to this, a report by Alexander Ivanko detailing the current situation on the ground will be presented during a closed-door session. It is worth recalling that on August 2, U.S. President Donald Trump reaffirmed his support for Morocco's claim over the Sahara and the autonomy plan proposed by Rabat in 2007, within the framework of the kingdom's sovereignty, in a message addressed to King Mohammed VI on the occasion of the throne celebration. Washington plays a pivotal role as the drafter of all UN Security Council resolutions concerning the Sahara.
