Two years ago, the US recognised Morocco’s sovereignty over the disputed territory in exchange for the kingdom’s normalisation of ties with Israel. A brokered deal that evoked condemnation from Sahrawis and World powers alike.
The US delegation’s visit to Rabat has triggered backlash over the American perceived “double standards” on territorial disputes in Western Sahara and Ukraine, and on the restriction of press freedom in the kingdom.
Wendy Sherman, the US deputy secretary of state, arrived in Morocco this week as part of a regional tour. Yesterday she held bilateral political consultations with Morocco’s Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita.
In a joint press statement with the Moroccan foreign ministry, the US reiterated its support for Morocco’s Autonomy Plan, describing it as a “serious” and “credible” solution to the four-decade-long conflict over the disputed territory of Western Sahara.
Morocco’s plan is supposed to allow Sahrawis to run their affairs “democratically”, through legislative, executive and judicial bodies, while Morocco would retain control over defence and foreign relations.
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The UN has backed the plan since 2006, but the Polisario Front, which continues to call for an independent state for Sahrawis, rejects Rabat’s proposal. Some political scientists consider the plan to fall short of the international legal definition of autonomy, while reiterating the Sahrawi people’s UN-sanctioned right to self-determination.
Two years ago, the US recognised Morocco’s sovereignty over the disputed territory in exchange for Rabat’s normalisation of ties with Israel. The so-called Abraham Accords evoked condemnation from Sahrawis and World powers, including Germany and Russia.
During the press conference held in Rabat, Sherman expressed Washington’s intention to strengthen the accords, while condemning “Putin’s premeditated, unprovoked and unjustified war on Ukraine”.
