Speaker of House of Representatives Lauds United States Recognition of Moroccan Sovereignty over Sahara and Its Regular Support for Autonomy Plan in Southern Provinces of the Kingdom

Speaker of House of Representatives Habib El Malki received on Tuesday, April 6, 2021, at the House headquarters, Ms. Carol Moseley Braun, a senior member of the Democratic Party and former diplomat and parliamentarian, in a courtesy visit.

On this occasion, the Speaker of the House of Representatives commended the deep-rooted centuries-old friendship ties and mutual respect linking the Kingdom of Morocco to the United States of America. In this respect, he recalled that "the Kingdom of Morocco was the first State to recognize the independence of the United States of America," and that the two countries have contributed to the creation of the World Trade Organization during the summit convened in Marrakech in 1994, and are linked by a bilateral free-trade agreement.

Mr. El Malki expressed his pride and consideration following the recognition by the United States of America of the sovereignty of the Kingdom of Morocco over its Sahara. In this respect, he noted that this advance is a culmination of the positions of the subsequent U.S. administrations in favor of the autonomy plan as a realistic and practical solution to the artificial conflict over the Moroccan Sahara. He added, "Unfortunately, some parties still hold onto the cold war era and its residues, including the issue of the Moroccan Sahara." He also commended the keenness of the new U.S. Administration for consolidating international cooperation and its efforts to establish peace and security all over the world.

The Speaker of the House of Representatives highlighted that Morocco, under the enlightened leadership of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, has managed during the COVID-19 spread to find the balance between the economic and social demands of the Moroccan people and the imperative of protecting the health of citizens, noting that the Kingdom was one of the first countries to provide African countries with aid in their fight against the pandemic.

In the same respect, the Speaker shed light on the policy of the Kingdom towards Africa, which His Majesty King Mohammed VI laid the foundations for, and which aims to reinforce South-South cooperation and step up the economic and social development in African countries through concrete initiatives and structural projects that are beneficial to all the peoples of the region.

For her part, Ms. Carol Moseley Braun lauded the development of the Kingdom of Morocco in different sectors under the leadership of His Majesty King Mohammed VI.

The senior member of the Democratic Party, and the first African-American woman to access the U.S. Senate, stressed the importance of advancing the Morocco-United States relations towards new horizons of cooperation and consultation, noting that the two countries share the same values directed at consolidating peace and prosperity.