The United States has reaffirmed its support for Morocco’s autonomy proposal as the exclusive basis for resolving the protracted conflict in Western Sahara, reinforcing a policy first established under President Donald Trump in 2020. In a meeting held in Washington on Tuesday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio told Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita that the U.S. continues to consider the Moroccan plan as the only credible path forward, according to a statement from State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce.
“The Secretary reaffirmed President Trump’s urging for the parties to engage in discussions without delay, using Morocco’s Autonomy Proposal as the only framework, to negotiate a mutually acceptable solution,” Bruce stated, underscoring the administration’s unambiguous backing for Moroccan sovereignty over the disputed territory.
Western Sahara has remained at the centre of a frozen conflict since 1975, with Morocco claiming the territory as its own and the Algeria-backed Polisario Front seeking an independent Sahrawi Republic. Despite repeated international efforts, including a stalled UN-led process, a lasting resolution has remained elusive.
Rubio described Morocco’s 2007 autonomy initiative as “serious, credible, and realistic,” echoing language used by previous U.S. administrations. “The United States continues to believe that genuine autonomy under Moroccan sovereignty is the only feasible solution,” Bruce added.
Trump’s recognition of Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara was part of a broader diplomatic agreement that saw Morocco normalise ties with Israel. His successor, Joe Biden, has not publicly reversed that move, leaving U.S. policy effectively unchanged but diplomatically understated.
The United States now joins France and Spain in aligning with Morocco’s position. France formally recognised the Moroccan plan in July 2024, while Spain, Western Sahara’s former colonial power, offered its endorsement in 2022.
However, the conflict remains deeply entrenched. Algeria, which supports the Polisario Front and recognises the self-declared Sahrawi Republic, has rejected calls to join roundtable talks led by the United Nations and continues to insist on a referendum that includes independence as an option. Morocco, for its part, maintains that no talks are possible without Algeria’s direct participation.
As diplomatic momentum builds around Morocco’s autonomy proposal, the path to resolution remains fraught with geopolitical tensions. Yet Washington’s latest declaration adds weight to a growing international consensus that autonomy under Moroccan sovereignty may be the only viable route to a just and lasting peace in the region.
