Moroccan king's letter confirms naming of major highway in honour of Trump
✓A letter from Morocco's King Mohammed VI has confirmed that the country has named a major highway after US President Donald Trump.
Last week, in a social media post, Trump thanked the king for the honour, but there was not a parallel announcement from the Moroccan authorities.
But Morocco's state press agency has published a letter the king wrote to the president telling him that the name-change was taking place as "a personal expression of my high regard".
Formerly the Tiznit-Dakhla highway, the road enters Western Sahara, most of which Morocco occupies and claims sovereignty over. But part is controlled by the Polisario Front, an armed group seeking independence for the local Sahrawi people.
In 2020, during the first Trump administration, the US recognised Morocco's claim over the disputed region as part of a deal whereby Morocco agreed to normalise relations with Israel.
In his letter, dated 2 July but published over the weekend, King Mohammed highlighted what he called the US president's "historic recognition... of Morocco's sovereignty over its Sahara" saying that it would "forever be etched in the memory of Moroccans, from generation to generation".
"Although our relations have always been rooted in close friendship and constant loyalty, they have never been as vigorous and fruitful as during your two presidential terms," the king added.
The monarch called the 1,055km (655 mile) highway a "strategic axis" linking "north and south of Morocco". Morocco calls Western Sahara its "southern provinces".
A former Spanish colony, Western Sahara - which is considered a "non-self-governing territory" by the UN - has been fought over for five decades in one of Africa's longest conflicts.
The UN has consistently pushed for a solution to the dispute, including a referendum, but the indigenous people of the area have never been able to vote for their own future.
The African Union recognises Western Sahara's independence.
European governments have until recently avoided taking sides. But some, including the UK and Spain have backed Morocco's plan to grant Western Sahara autonomy but deny it independence.
Trump's Truth Social post on the renaming last week also included a video about the road saying that it cost nearly $1bn (£740m) to build.
"I look forward to traveling the entire length of this great highway someday, hopefully soon!" the president wrote.
Read the full story at BBC ↗ · The Hill ↗
Morocco has officially named a major highway after US President Trump through a letter from King Mohammed VI. The 1,055km road, formerly called the Tiznit-Dakhla highway, crosses through Western Sahara, territory Morocco occupies but which remains internationally disputed. The king stated the renaming reflects Trump's 2020 recognition of Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara—a decision made during Trump's first term in exchange for Morocco normalising relations with Israel. The letter, dated 2 July and published over the weekend, framed the highway as a strategic link between northern and southern Morocco. Western Sahara has been contested for five decades; the UN considers it a non-self-governing territory and has advocated for a referendum, while the African Union recognises its independence. Trump responded positively on social media, noting the highway's $1 billion construction cost.
Read the full story at BBC ↗ · The Hill ↗
A letter from Morocco's King Mohammed VI has confirmed that the country has named a major highway after US President Donald Trump.
Last week, in a social media post, Trump thanked the king for the honour, but there was not a parallel announcement from the Moroccan authorities.
But Morocco's state press agency has published a letter the king wrote to the president telling him that the name-change was taking place as "a personal expression of my high regard".
Formerly the Tiznit-Dakhla highway, the road enters Western Sahara, most of which Morocco occupies and claims sovereignty over. But part is controlled by the Polisario Front, an armed group seeking independence for the local Sahrawi people.
In 2020, during the first Trump administration, the US recognised Morocco's claim over the disputed region as part of a deal whereby Morocco agreed to normalise relations with Israel.
In his letter, dated 2 July but published over the weekend, King Mohammed highlighted what he called the US president's "historic recognition... of Morocco's sovereignty over its Sahara" saying that it would "forever be etched in the memory of Moroccans, from generation to generation".
"Although our relations have always been rooted in close friendship and constant loyalty, they have never been as vigorous and fruitful as during your two presidential terms," the king added.
The monarch called the 1,055km (655 mile) highway a "strategic axis" linking "north and south of Morocco". Morocco calls Western Sahara its "southern provinces".
A former Spanish colony, Western Sahara - which is considered a "non-self-governing territory" by the UN - has been fought over for five decades in one of Africa's longest conflicts.
The UN has consistently pushed for a solution to the dispute, including a referendum, but the indigenous people of the area have never been able to vote for their own future.
The African Union recognises Western Sahara's independence.
European governments have until recently avoided taking sides. But some, including the UK and Spain have backed Morocco's plan to grant Western Sahara autonomy but deny it independence.
Trump's Truth Social post on the renaming last week also included a video about the road saying that it cost nearly $1bn (£740m) to build.
"I look forward to traveling the entire length of this great highway someday, hopefully soon!" the president wrote.
Read the full story at BBC ↗ · The Hill ↗
King Mohammed VI has confirmed via letter that Morocco named a major highway after US President Trump The highway, formerly called Tiznit-Dakhla, measures 1,055km in length The road enters Western Sahara, which Morocco occupies but which is disputed internationally In 2020, the US recognised Morocco's sovereignty claim over Western Sahara in exchange for Morocco normalising relations with Israel The king cited this recognition as a personal expression of his regard for Trump Western Sahara is considered a non-self-governing territory by the UN and has been contested for five decades The African Union recognises Western Sahara's independence The naming reflects Trump's historic significance to Morocco's territorial position
Read the full story at BBC ↗ · The Hill ↗
- Morocco's King Mohammed VI has confirmed in a letter that a major highway has been renamed in honour of US President Trump
- The 1,055km Tiznit-Dakhla highway runs through territory Morocco occupies in Western Sahara, a disputed region
- The US recognised Morocco's sovereignty claim over Western Sahara in 2020 during Trump's first administration, in exchange for Morocco normalising relations with Israel
- The king cited this recognition as reason for the highway naming, describing it as a personal expression of regard
- Western Sahara remains one of Africa's longest-running conflicts, with the UN, African Union, and various governments holding differing positions on its status