Landau in Rabat: Washington backs American investment in the Sahara — and says 50 years is enough. “This cannot wait another 50 years”. That was Christopher Landau, U.S. Deputy Secretary of State, speaking at a joint press conference in Rabat on Wednesday alongside Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita. Landau said plainly that a peaceful and urgent solution is needed, and that the United States is working actively with the United Nations and all parties, under Security Council Resolution 2797, to get there. What has dragged on for decades is, by any measure, a fabricated conflict — and Washington is no longer willing to let it run its course on its own timeline.
The visit — Landau’s first to Morocco — produced three clear American commitments: recognition of Moroccan sovereignty over the Sahara, support for the Moroccan autonomy proposal as the only basis for a just and lasting settlement, and explicit backing for U.S. companies that wish to invest and carry out projects in the Sahara.
The United States recognizes Moroccan sovereignty over the Sahara and supports the serious, credible and realistic autonomy proposal put forward by Morocco — the only basis for a just and lasting resolution of this dispute.
— Christopher Landau, U.S. Deputy Secretary of State · Joint press conference with FM Bourita, Rabat, April 29, 2026
A win-win partnership
Beyond the Sahara, Landau framed the broader Morocco-U.S. relationship in unusually warm terms. Washington sees a number of win-win partnership opportunities with Morocco across economic and trade issues, he said — describing Morocco as one of the most dynamic economies in this part of the world and a pivotal player across several sectors. The United States, he added, has the capital and expertise to help Morocco realize the full potential of its talented people. He credited President Trump’s appointment of a close and trusted friend as U.S. ambassador to Morocco as a signal of how seriously Washington values the relationship.