U.S. Reaffirms Support for Moroccan Sovereignty Over Western Sahara, Shaping Security Council Dynamics

Secretary Rubio’s Meeting with Moroccan Foreign Minister Bourita April 8th, 2025

By Ahmed Fathi

 

UNHQ-New York: In a strong reaffirmation of U.S. foreign policy under the Trump administration, Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita this week to underscore Washington’s continued recognition of Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara. The meeting highlighted the enduring U.S.-Morocco partnership in advancing peace, security, and economic cooperation across the region, especially through frameworks like the Abraham Accords.

Secretary Rubio reiterated the United States’ support for Morocco’s Autonomy Proposal, calling it “serious, credible, and realistic,” and emphasizing it as the only basis for a just and lasting resolution to the decades-long dispute over Western Sahara. With the U.S. serving as the penholder on the Western Sahara file at the United Nations Security Council, Washington’s position holds significant weight—setting the tone for upcoming deliberations and shaping the Council’s future direction on the issue.

From a strategic standpoint, the U.S. stance reflects not only diplomatic pragmatism but also a clear-eyed view of regional security dynamics. A stable, autonomous Western Sahara under Moroccan sovereignty provides a sustainable path forward—especially when weighed against the risk of birthing another failed state in an already volatile Sahel region. A Sahrawi entity detached from Moroccan authority would risk becoming a proxy battleground, with growing concerns about Algerian and Iranian influence, and the presence of Russian-aligned mercenary networks like Wagner operating in the shadows.

I have seen this reality firsthand during my recent visit to the Sahara, as part of MD Sahara Forum in Dakhla, where development projects—particularly the ambitious Dakhla Port—are transforming the landscape. This multi-billion-dollar infrastructure initiative is not only bringing prosperity and jobs to the region, but also creating new economic arteries that link the Sahel to global trade. The port has the potential to uplift neighboring countries by fostering economic interdependence, stability, and ultimately, peace.

The Moroccan autonomy plan does more than provide administrative self-rule—it guarantees full rights for the Sahrawi people while preserving Morocco’s sovereign role in defense, security, and foreign policy. This model offers a dignified and practical solution—one that avoids the chaos of statelessness and safeguards the aspirations of the Sahrawis within a stable, functioning framework.

Meanwhile, Algeria’s response to the reaffirmed U.S. position was as expected: an echo of Cold War-era decolonization rhetoric that feels increasingly detached from modern geopolitical realities. The world has moved beyond the simplistic binaries of the 1960s. Today’s international community is less inclined to support sovereignty experiments that end in vacuum governance, regional destabilization, and the proliferation of foreign-backed militias.

In a region already grappling with transnational terrorism, human trafficking, and economic fragility, Morocco’s autonomy proposal represents the best shot at a just peace. It balances the aspirations of the Sahrawi population with the imperatives of regional security and international consensus.

The United States is not just affirming Moroccan sovereignty—it is drawing a clear red line in the sand. And the rest of the Security Council would do well to take note.