Jared Kushner and his wife Ivanka Trump are expected to visit Dakhla shortly as part of a private trip. A trip that comes a few weeks before the inauguration of the new US President Donald Trump, and could be seen as a harbinger of the renewed US support for the Moroccanness of the Sahara.
Faced with the barely veiled threats from Algeria to open an armed conflict, Morocco is preparing to fortify its borders with its neighbor and rival.
Spain is considering entrusting Morocco with the provision of ATS (Air Traffic Service) in the airspace of the Sahara. A decision that, if confirmed, would strengthen Morocco’s sovereignty over this territory.
Spanish farmers are demanding the immediate suspension of the free trade agreement between the EU and Morocco, denouncing the unfair competition they are facing from Moroccan fruit and vegetable producers, particularly tomatoes.
The Polisario Front has condemned the support expressed by some countries, including France, for Morocco’s autonomy plan for the Sahara, saying that this position of Paris "undermines the peace agreements" and "violates international legality".
The Polisario would be using Arash Standard rockets developed by Iran in its "war" against Morocco, according to recent images released by the Sahrawi separatists. These weapons of mass destruction can reach targets at a range of 120 to 250 km.
China is sharpening its interest in the Moroccan Sahara. The Asian giant would like to make significant investments in the southern provinces and could even open a consulate in Laayoune.
While some countries fear the return of Donald Trump to the White House, others, like Morocco, welcome the election of the new President of the United States who had recognized the Moroccanness of the Sahara in December 2020, at the end of his first term, and announced the opening of an American consulate in Dakhla.
The Algerian press reacted strongly to the visit of the French ambassador to Laâyoune and Dakhla, in the Moroccan Sahara.
According to some analysts, the hypothesis of an imminent armed conflict between Morocco and Algeria seems to be taking shape, given the recent attempt by the Polisario Front, supported by Algeria, to carry out an attack against Morocco.
Christophe Lecourtier, the French ambassador to Morocco, is making a visit to the Sahara region. This trip, described as "historic" by many Moroccan media, began on November 11 and will end on November 13.
While Morocco expects Spain to officially recognize its sovereignty over the Sahara, Algeria has just ended more than two years of suspension of trade exchanges with this country, in reaction to Pedro Sanchez’s decision to support the Moroccan autonomy plan for this territory.