Washington, April 9, 2025 — The United States has reaffirmed its stance on the Western Sahara conflict, backing Morocco’s plan to grant autonomy to the region under its sovereignty as the sole basis for negotiations. This position was reiterated by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio in a meeting on Tuesday with Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita in Washington.
According to a statement from State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce, Rubio emphasized that President Donald Trump’s 2020 decision to recognize Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara remains U.S. policy. “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.
The long-standing dispute over Western Sahara dates back to 1975, with Morocco considering the region as part of its territory, while the Algeria-backed Polisario Front seeks the establishment of an independent state, the Sahrawi Republic. In his remarks, Rubio called the 2007 autonomy proposal by Morocco “serious, credible, and realistic” and argued that it represents “the only basis for a just and lasting solution to the dispute.”
The U.S. has consistently supported Morocco’s position, believing that genuine autonomy under Moroccan sovereignty is the only feasible solution to the conflict. This has been a key element of U.S. policy since Trump’s final year in office, when he recognized Moroccan claims over the region as part of a broader diplomatic agreement in which Morocco normalized relations with Israel.
Following Trump’s recognition, other countries have made similar moves. France, in July 2024, also backed Morocco’s claims, while Spain, the former colonial power in Western Sahara, publicly supported Morocco’s autonomy plan in 2022.
The UN-led peace process on the Western Sahara conflict has been stalled for years, with Morocco maintaining that autonomy is the only viable basis for talks. In contrast, the Polisario Front, supported by Algeria, has called for a referendum with independence as an option. Algeria, which recognizes the self-declared Sahrawi Republic, has refused to participate in UN-mediated discussions unless a referendum is included in the negotiation framework.
Morocco insists that no talks can proceed without Algeria’s involvement, creating a complex diplomatic stalemate. Despite ongoing efforts to resolve the conflict, both sides remain entrenched in their positions, making a resolution increasingly elusive.
