US Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Landau reaffirmed in Rabat Washington's support for Morocco's sovereignty over Western Sahara, calling for a "swift" settlement of a conflict that has persisted since 1975.
The United States reaffirmed its support for Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara on Wednesday during a meeting between Mr. Landau and Nacer Bourita, the Moroccan Minister of Foreign Affairs.
Morocco is promoting an autonomy proposal for the region that would grant Western Sahara autonomy in social and economic policy, budget and taxation, while Rabat would retain control of foreign relations, the judicial system and the currency.
The United Nations has also lent its support to this initiative.
"We are certainly striving, within the framework of the latest Security Council resolution, to bring about a peaceful resolution to this conflict which has lasted far too long, since 1975, when I was only 11 years old," Mr. Landau said at a joint press conference following the meeting.
"It is inconceivable that this kind of conflict should continue beyond the lifespan of human beings."
The Polisario Front, an independence movement supported by Algeria and representing the indigenous Sahrawi population of the region, resumed its struggle for self-determination in 2020 after the failure of a proposed referendum.
"Today, in this context, the United States supports an approach which we hope will lead to a definitive solution within the sole framework of the autonomy initiative under Moroccan sovereignty presented by the Kingdom of Morocco," Mr. Bourita told reporters.
In 2020, the United States recognized Morocco's claim to this former Spanish colony rich in mineral resources, in exchange for Morocco's rapprochement with Israel.
Since then, Rabat has deployed increasingly energetic diplomatic efforts to rally other countries to its cause.
