Paris — By reaffirming its support for Morocco's sovereignty over its Sahara, in line with the stance conveyed by President Donald Trump to HM King Mohammed VI, the United States is reiterating a geopolitical choice that underscores a steady commitment, on a strong axis, towards a major international player, French political scientist Christophe Boutin told MAP.

The Trump Administration in 2020 provided significant support not only for Morocco's autonomy Initiative for the Moroccan Sahara, backed at the UN, but more broadly for the Moroccanness of this territory, Professor Boutin noted that Morocco's full sovereignty over this part of its territory is today clearly affirmed.

Four and a half years later, a new Trump Administration confirms that the only solution to resolve the artificial Sahara conflict is its autonomy under Moroccan sovereignty, he emphasized.

The United States' choice in 2020, he recalled, had positive repercussions on the development of this issue on the international scene, "since in the following years, we saw other states' positions evolve, either to distance themselves from those who continue to deny the reality of the Moroccan identity of the Sahara, or to take a further step toward recognizing Moroccan sovereignty - with Germany and France at the forefront of the latter."

For Professor Boutin, the US reiteration of its position will have further effects in the same direction.

"The situation of Moroccan Sahara, an emerging economic hub to Africa with the Dakhla Atlantic port, and a pole of security stability amidst rising threats in neighboring Sahel, should naturally encourage other states to join the supporters of this solution."

It is worth recalling that during a meeting on Tuesday in Washington between the Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation, and Moroccan Expatriates Nasser Bourita, and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the latter "reaffirmed that the United States recognizes Moroccan sovereignty over the Sahara."

The head of American diplomacy also reiterated that the U.S. "supports Morocco's serious, credible, and realistic autonomy proposal as the only basis for a just and lasting solution to the dispute," according to Spokesperson for the US Department of State Tammy Bruce.

Marco Rubio also reiterated that the U.S. "continues to believe that genuine autonomy under Moroccan sovereignty is the only feasible solution."