The United States says it recognises Moroccan sovereignty over the entire Western Sahara territory. This was after Morocco signed a deal aimed at normalising relations with Israel.
But the African Union stands opposed to Morocco’s occupation of Western Sahara and continues to demand that Morocco gives the region autonomy.
The Kingdom of Morocco and Saharawi Republic suffer a territorial dispute.
Western Sahara contests its 1975 annexation by Morocco after the withdrawal of ex-colonial power Spain.
The United States in a statement says it reaffirms its support for what it terms as Morocco’s realistic autonomy proposal as the only basis for a just and lasting solution to the dispute over the Western Sahara territory.
President Donald Trump tweeted earlier that a deal had been struck for the normalisation of relations between the State of Israel and Morocco:
But the African Union (AU) terms the occupation of Saharawi as wrong. In its summit early this month the AU Chair, President Cyril Ramaphosa said every effort should be made to facilitate the self-determination of the people of Western Sahara.
The Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic President has called on the African Union to apply sanctions to Morocco for its occupation of Western Sahara and to stop its expansionist practices.
The United Nations-brokered a 1991 cease-fire pact between the two states that largely held until November this year when fighting between the two broke out.
Morocco remains opposed to holding a referendum for the region that offered the option of independence, Morocco quit the Organisation of African Unity in 1984 after the bloc admitted Western Sahara as a separate member.
The African Union allowed it to rejoin in 2017.
