US Reaffirms Support for Morocco’s Claim to Western Sahara, Official Says

Joey Hood was received in audience on Wednesday, July 28 in Rabat by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Nasser Bourita. During the traditional press briefing that concludes this type of audience, the Secretary of State, responding to a question asked by a Moroccan journalist, declared that the American position on the Sahara had not undergone any change. "The only thing that has really changed is the intensity of our willingness to help the UN process succeed," he said, before adding that "the goal is to produce tangible results. To do this, we must start as soon as possible by appointing the UN Secretary-General’s personal envoy to find a solution to the conflict," reports Medias24.

For Joey Hood, it is important that the solution found suits all stakeholders "in order to achieve regional peace and stability. This is the goal of the United States, but also of Morocco, which has been an exporter of security worldwide for many years."

The position of the United States on the Sahara issue is not the only subject addressed by the Secretary of State. Joey Hood also spoke about the role that the Biden administration will have to play in the crises that Morocco is experiencing with its Algerian and Spanish neighbors. According to the diplomat, the US president is more than anything else determined to reduce the intensity of conflicts everywhere in the world so that all efforts are focused on the strategies to be put in place to defeat the pandemic and revive the economies of all countries. "To achieve this, we have no choice but to reduce the tensions that exist between Morocco, Algeria and Spain, but also to resolve the Libyan crisis. We are therefore working together to achieve this," he stressed.

Joey Hood also spoke about the scope of the signing, on December 22 last, of a tripartite agreement Morocco-Israel-USA. "For the Biden administration, the normalization of relations between Morocco and Israel will not only benefit the two countries, as it will also help end the marginalization of the Palestinians. Apart from the advantages that Morocco can draw from this agreement, the USA is counting on the leadership and influence of King Mohammed VI with the Israeli government and society."

Regarding Morocco’s contribution to the crisis in Libya, the diplomat says he remains hopeful for the return to civil and social peace. And the upcoming elections, he hopes, will play a crucial role.