U.S. Reaffirms Support for Moroccan Sovereignty Over Western Sahara in Meeting With Foreign Minister Bourita
- Ahmed Fathi
- Sep 25
- 2 min read
By: Ahmed Fathi
UNHQ, New York — Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau reaffirmed U.S. recognition of Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara during a meeting with Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita, a move likely to reverberate across upcoming UN debates on the decades-long conflict.
Landau said Washington would support U.S. companies investing across Morocco, “including Western Sahara,” in what he described as a demonstration of the “longstanding partnership” between the two countries.
“As Secretary Rubio made clear, the United States recognizes Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara, supports Morocco’s genuine Autonomy Proposal as the only basis for a just and lasting resolution, and urges the parties to negotiate without further delay,” Landau posted on X.
UN Angle and Global Repercussions
The remarks arrive as the United Nations grapples with the stalled political process over Western Sahara. The territory remains on the UN list of “non-self-governing territories,” with the Security Council mandating peacekeeping operations under MINURSO (Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara).
Morocco’s Autonomy Proposal has won backing from Washington and several European capitals, but it continues to face resistance from the Polisario Front, which demands full independence, and from Algeria, its principal supporter. The dispute routinely divides Security Council members, with Russia and South Africa often pushing back against Morocco’s claims.
Diplomats at UN headquarters say the U.S. statement will likely harden negotiating positions ahead of the Council’s next mandate renewal for MINURSO and could complicate the Secretary-General’s push for fresh direct talks between Rabat and the Polisario.
Strategic Signal
Analysts suggest the timing underscores Washington’s intent to assure Rabat of bipartisan U.S. support despite shifting Middle East and North Africa priorities at the UN’s 80th General Assembly. “This is as much a message to Morocco as it is to the UN system — that the U.S. position is locked in,” one diplomat observed.
For Rabat, U.S. recognition remains a diplomatic prize it hopes will pressure other countries to follow suit. For the UN, it is yet another sign of how great power alignments continue to complicate efforts to deliver what the world body still calls a “mutually acceptable solution” for Western Sahara.