With the imminent appointment of Duke Buchan as the new U.S. ambassador to Rabat, Washington is preparing to «open a consulate in Dakhla, in the Moroccan Sahara», according to Massad Boulos, Special Advisor to former President Donald Trump for Africa. Boulos made the announcement on Thursday evening in an interview with an Arab media outlet. It is worth recalling that the decision to open a U.S. consulate in Dakhla was first announced on December 10, 2020, by President Trump, before being put on hold by his successor, Joe Biden, reportedly under pressure from the left wing of the Democratic Party in Congress. In the same interview, Boulos reaffirmed that the current U.S. administration recognizes Morocco's sovereignty over the Sahara, and praised King Mohammed VI's remarks in his July 29 Throne Day speech, calling them «historic». At the time, the King had stated that Morocco's «favorable positions towards justice and legitimacy inspire us with honor and pride, and further encourage us to seek a consensual solution that preserves the dignity of all parties, with no winner or loser». Reflecting on his visit to Algeria last July, Boulos revealed that Algerian leaders expressed a willingness to improve relations «with Morocco, the Moroccan people, the King, and the government», describing the two nations as «brotherly peoples». During that trip, he met with President Abdelmadjid Tebboune and Foreign Minister Ahmed Attaf. Addressing the ongoing discussions at the UN Security Council over a new resolution on the Sahara, Boulos said, «It is time to find a solution to a conflict that has lasted for 50 years. To this end, we are working with our European partners, notably France, as well as others like the United Kingdom, Spain, and the European Union. We are more optimistic than ever about the possibility of achieving a positive and lasting solution». The Security Council is expected to adopt a new resolution on the Sahara issue before the end of this month.
