Sahara: the Trump administration intends to close the file in favor of Morocco

It is the head of the political affairs department of the American Jewish Committee (AJC), Jason F. Isaacson, who has just said it: “US President Donald Trump is determined to close the Sahara file in favor of Morocco, as part of autonomy as a unique and most effective solution“, He said in an interview with daily Assabahpublished in its edition of Monday, April 14.

Jason Isaacson adds that “The world, particularly in North Africa and the Middle East, is experiencing recurring instability, troubles and wars“, Stressing that, in this region,”The United States has a solid ally that is Morocco. A strong monarchy supported by its people, with a history of solid economic, political and strategic relations with the United States».

He also underlines that “This is well known, from administration to administration, republican or democrat, this reality has never been called into question. The previous administration, that of Biden, supported Morocco, of course, but without the same firmness, or the same vigor as the current Trump administration. Although she has not denied recognition of Moroccan sovereignty over the Sahara, she also did not advance this file. On the other hand, the Trump II administration clearly intends to progress towards the resolution of this file in favor of Morocco».

An objective that the AJC manager says it strongly supports. For him, the recent visit of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Nasser Bourita, in Washington, was “of capital importance“, Because he was the Prime Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Arab, North African and African region to go to the United States and meet the new administration. It has a great meaning, he says.

«Giving this honor in Morocco is extremely important, especially since we are approaching the 250th anniversary of historical relations between Morocco and the United States». This testifies, he believes, from the depth and the narrowness of the links which unite the two countries. “”We have seen it clearly under the first Trump administration, and this is repeated today under the second“, He pointed out.

«The statements made during this visit, reaffirming American support for the autonomy proposal, were exactly what we needed to hear“, He told Assabahadding that “They take up precisely what had been said in the last weeks of the first Trump administration, and the continuity, even the strengthening, of this position under the second administration is crucial».

Faced with these new developments, the reaction of Algeria is not surprising, and its irritation is not hidden, taking into account its long campaign to deny the legitimacy of Moroccan sovereignty on its southern provinces and the importance which it seems to attach to trying to undermine the strategic partnership between Morocco and the United States, observed the American official.

That said, according to Jason F. Isaacson, the future of relations between Morocco and the United States is “promising».

First of all, he explains, “It should be noted that Morocco is one of the few countries in the world to benefit from customs duties reduced within the framework of the new system imposed by the Trump administration, which could constitute an economic and commercial advantage for Morocco. We also have a free trade agreement between the United States and Morocco, and we will continue to capitalize on the successes of this agreement, in the hope that it will bring even more positive results in the future».

In conclusion, he said Morocco was perceived by the United States as “A stable and reliable friend in many ways, whether economic or strategic. We have observed an increase in the level of military cooperation between the two countries, as well as signs of growing efforts to strengthen economic relations, Morocco being considered as a gateway to Africa and an important market in itself for the United States».