(MENAFN) US President Donald Trump has described Morocco’s autonomy plan for Western Sahara as “serious, credible, and realistic,” calling it the only viable foundation for resolving the longstanding conflict over the disputed territory, according to Morocco’s MAP news agency. Trump made these remarks in a letter to King Mohammed VI, who recently celebrated the 26th anniversary of his coronation. On the same day, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio praised Morocco as one of Washington’s “oldest and closest friends,” highlighting shared efforts on regional peace, security, counterterrorism, and economic cooperation.

Trump reiterated that the United States officially recognizes Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara. The territory has been contested for decades between Morocco, which controls most of the area and considers it part of its kingdom, and the Algeria-backed Polisario Front, which calls for a UN-supervised referendum for Sahrawi self-determination. Morocco rejects independence and insists its autonomy plan offers the only practical solution.

Trump initially recognized Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara in 2020, coinciding with Morocco’s normalization of relations with Israel under the Abraham Accords. In April, Rubio met with Morocco’s Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita and reaffirmed the US call for immediate negotiations based on Morocco’s autonomy proposal, offering to facilitate dialogue.

Countries including Israel, France, Portugal, and the UK have supported Morocco’s plan in recent years. Algeria, which supports Sahrawi self-determination, has criticized these endorsements, warning that they risk escalating the conflict. Meanwhile, King Mohammed VI expressed openness to dialogue with Algeria to ease tensions between the two neighbors.

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