King Mohammed VI Names Moroccan Highway After Trump as US Recognition of Western Sahara Claim Is Cemented

A letter from Morocco’s King Mohammed VI has confirmed that the kingdom has named a major highway after President Donald Trump, an honour that underscores Rabat’s enduring gratitude for Washington’s recognition of its sovereignty over the disputed territory of Western Sahara. Formerly known as the Tiznit-Dakhla highway, the road traverses the vast and arid expanse of Western Sahara, most of which is occupied and claimed by Morocco, though a portion remains under the control of the Polisario Front, an armed movement seeking independence for the indigenous Sahrawi people. The monarch’s letter, dated 2 July but published over the weekend by the state press agency, described the decision as "a personal expression of my high regard" for the American president. In 2020, during the first Trump administration, the United States formally recognised Morocco’s claim over the disputed region as part of a broader diplomatic realignment in which Morocco agreed to normalise relations with Israel, a development that reshaped the dynamics of the long-running territorial dispute.

In his correspondence, King Mohammed emphasised what he termed the president’s "historic recognition… of Morocco’s sovereignty over its Sahara", a gesture that, he wrote, would "forever be etched in the memory of Moroccans, from generation to generation". He further observed that while bilateral relations had "always been rooted in close friendship and constant loyalty", they had "never been as vigorous and fruitful as during your two presidential terms". The 1,055-kilometre (655-mile) highway, which the monarch described as a "strategic axis" linking the north and south of Morocco, is a significant infrastructure project that Morocco has long promoted as a symbol of its integration of the territory it refers to as its "southern provinces". The timing of the renaming, confirmed in a formal royal letter published to the state news agency, appears intended to underscore the personal nature of the tribute and the monarch’s appreciation for Mr Trump’s policy stance.

Western Sahara, a former Spanish colony that the United Nations classifies as a "non-self-governing territory", has been the subject of one of Africa’s longest-running conflicts, now entering its sixth decade. The UN has consistently advocated for a solution to the dispute, including the holding of a referendum on self-determination, though the Sahrawi people have never been afforded the opportunity to vote on their own future. The African Union recognises Western Sahara’s independence, while European governments have until recently largely avoided taking sides, though several, including the United Kingdom and Spain, have backed Morocco’s proposal for autonomy under Moroccan sovereignty while rejecting outright independence. The Polisario Front, which controls a narrow strip of the territory along the border with Mauritania, continues to press for a referendum, a position that enjoys the support of Algeria, its principal backer. Mr Trump, in a Truth Social post last week that first drew attention to the renaming, shared a video about the road which stated that its construction had cost nearly $1 billion (£740 million). "I look forward to traveling the entire length of this great highway someday, hopefully soon!" the president wrote, adding a personal note to a diplomatic gesture that has further cemented the bond between the two nations.