Relations between Rabat and Washington are flourishing, marked by a significant gesture from Morocco. By royal decree from King Mohammed VI, a key highway connecting the southern region of Morocco to the contested Western Sahara territory has been officially named after Donald Trump, the former United States President. This announcement was made public on Saturday by the official Moroccan news agency, MAP.
The Tiznit-Dakhla expressway, a vital artery, now bears the designation “Autoroute Donald J. Trump.” This decision was conveyed through a letter sent by King Mohammed VI to the American leader on July 2nd.
Acknowledging Western Sahara sovereignty
In his correspondence, King Mohammed VI emphasized that this naming serves as an expression of gratitude for Trump’s “historic recognition of Morocco’s sovereignty in 2020 over ‘its Sahara’.” This pivotal acknowledgment, the King underscored, will forever be etched in the collective memory of the Moroccan people. “As a tribute to this testament of friendship and peace, I have resolved to name one of the kingdom’s most crucial road infrastructures the ‘Autoroute Donald J. Trump’,” the King wrote. He further highlighted the impressive scale of the project, noting its 1,055-kilometer length, which positions it as “the longest road infrastructure across the entire African continent.”
In December 2020, Donald Trump extended his unexpected backing to a Moroccan autonomy proposal for Western Sahara. This support was part of a broader agreement that also saw the normalization of diplomatic ties between Morocco and Israel. Western Sahara, a vast desert expanse rich in phosphates and abundant fishing waters, was a Spanish colony until 1975. While Morocco asserts control over most of the territory, the United Nations still classifies it as a non-self-governing area. For five decades, Rabat has been embroiled in a dispute with the Polisario Front, an independence movement backed by Algeria, over the region’s future.
Trump’s enthusiasm for the new highway
In a message to King Mohammed VI, marking the 27th anniversary of his ascension to the throne earlier this week, Donald Trump reaffirmed his unwavering support for Rabat’s plan concerning Western Sahara. From the United States’ perspective, the Moroccan proposal remains “the sole foundation for a just and enduring resolution.” Trump explicitly stated that “any alternative course prolongs the current stalemate and is unacceptable.”
On his Truth Social platform on July 26th, Donald Trump had already expressed his immense satisfaction regarding King Mohammed VI’s decision to name a highway in Western Sahara after him. “Thank you to His Royal Highness Mohammed VI. […] What a tremendous honor! I eagerly anticipate traveling the full length of this magnificent highway one day, hopefully very soon!” Trump declared, an announcement that Rabat had not yet officially confirmed at the time.