In brief
King Mohammed VI of Morocco has formally named the country’s longest highway after Donald Trump, a move confirmed by a royal letter. The 1,055‑km route is vital for connecting north and south Morocco, extending into the disputed Western Sahara area. The renaming follows the United States’ 2020 recognition of Morocco’s claim over the region, reinforcing a key diplomatic partnership. The gesture has sparked debate over Morocco’s control of the territory and the implications for the Sahrawi independence movement.
By Hafsa Khalil
Morocco’s King Mohammed VI has officially renamed the 1,055‑km Tiznit‑Dakhla highway after former U.S. President Donald Trump, as confirmed by a formal letter sent to President Joe Biden.
The letter explains the gesture as a “personal expression of my high regard” for the U.S. president, who thanked the king in a recent social‑media post. The highway, which connects Rabat to the deep‑south city of Dakhla, runs into Western Sahara, the area Morocco claims as its southern provinces.
Western Sahara has been at the centre of a long‑standing conflict between Moroccan sovereignty and the Polisario Front’s push for independence. In 2020 the Trump administration formally recognised Morocco’s territorial claim as part of a broader agreement to normalise ties with Israel.
In his letter, dated 2 July, the king praised the U.S. “historic recognition” of Morocco’s sovereignty over its Sahara, describing it as forever etched in the nation’s collective memory. He called the highway a strategic axis linking north and south Morocco.
The naming, emphasised by a Truth Social video, highlights the highway’s cost of almost $1 bn and the potential for high‑profile visits by the former president. While it bolsters diplomatic ties, it also reignites debate over Morocco’s control of the region and the status of the Sahrawi people.
As the nation strengthens internal infrastructure and external alliances, renaming a critical artery for a former U.S. leader reflects the tight interlinking of politics, geography, and identity on the continent.
