US Unchanged Western Sahara Position Further Angers Polisario Supporter Algeria
Rabat – Algeria's regime has responded to the US statement reaffirming its support for Morocco's territorial integrity and sovereignty over its southern provinces in Western Sahara.
In a statement today, the Algerian Foreign Affairs Ministry lamented Washington's endorsement of the position that the Moroccan Autonomy Plan is the only realistic path to resolving the Sahara dispute.
'Algeria has taken note of the reaffirmation by the U.S. The Department of State views the autonomy plan under Moroccan sovereignty as the only solution to the Western Sahara conflict,' the statement said.
A staunch and primary supporter of Polisario, Algeria said it 'regrets the confirmation of this position by a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, from whom respect for international legality in general and Security Council resolutions in particular is expected.'
The remarks are not surprising given Algeria's well-documented hostility towards Morocco's territorial integrity. The North African country continues to support Polisario's separatist claims over Western Sahara, harboring the separatist group on Algerian soil and sponsoring its military and diplomatic maneuvers against Morocco's sovereignty on the Sahara.
This Algerian response confirms observers' assessment that the State Department's emphatic embrace of the Moroccan Autonomy Plan constitutes yet another blow for Algeria and its separatist proxy in the Sahara dossier.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio met on Tuesday with Moroccan Foreign Affairs Minister Nasser Bourita. He conveyed Washington's unchanged position vis-à-vis the Sahara dispute, pledging to further cement the long-standing bilateral relations between Morocco and the US.
'The Secretary reiterated that the United States recognizes Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara and supports Morocco's serious, credible, and realistic Autonomy Proposal as the only basis for a just and lasting solution to the dispute,' the State Department wrote.
Rubio doubled down on the US support, noting that Trump has urged all parties to engage in discussions without delay, using Morocco's Autonomy initiative as 'the only framework to negotiate a mutually acceptable solution.' The US is determined to facilitate the negotiations toward this aim, Secretary Rubio stressed.
In its response to America's renewed support for Morocco's territorial integrity , the Algerian regime claimed that the Sahara dispute is an 'unfinished decolonization process and an unfulfilled right to self-determination,' claiming that the separatist ground continues to 'hold the right to self-determination.'
The US' latest statement on the Sahara shut down Algeria's denial on the Sahara dispute as it has been maneuvering to convince the Biden administration to backtrack on Washington's newfound embrace of the autonomy plan as the best way out of he long-standing Western Sahara stalemate.
Since the US first announced its unequivocal support for Morocco's territorial integrity in December 2020, the Algerian regime has unrelentingly lobbied to reverse the decision.
In addition to its denial, Algeria's regime continues to block the UN-led political process, rejecting its role as one of the main parties to the dispute. Tags: Algeria and the Western SaharaMorocco and Algeria and Western Sahara
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Morocco World
7 hours ago
- Morocco World
King Mohammed VI Receives Eid Al Adha Greetings from Several World Leaders
Rabat – King Mohammed VI has received congratulatory messages from several world leaders on the occasion of Eid Al Adha, which Morocco will celebrate on Saturday. The President of Chad, Marshal Mahamat Idriss Déby Itno, sent his warm wishes for health and prosperity to the King and his family. He prayed for 'prosperity, peace, and blessings for Morocco, the Islamic Ummah, and all of humanity.' Oman's Sultan Haitham bin Tariq wished the King good health and expressed hope for ongoing 'stability, prosperity, and dignity' for Morocco. King Abdullah II of Jordan also sent his heartfelt congratulations, praying for the King's good health, Morocco's progress, and blessings for the Arab and Islamic nations. Meanwhile, Mauritanian President Mohamed Ould Ghazouani extended his warm greetings and wished prosperity for both the Moroccan and Mauritanian peoples, as well as for the wider Islamic community. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas also conveyed his 'warmest fraternal greetings and best wishes on the occasion of Eid Al Adha.' He also wished the King and the Moroccan people continued well-being and success. Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi conveyed sincere congratulations to King Mohammed VI and the Moroccan people, highlighting the values of Eid al-Adha and praying for stability and prosperity for both countries and the Islamic world. Bahrain's Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa offered warm congratulations and prayers for the King's health and happiness, and blessings for the Arab and Islamic nations. Senegalese President Macky Sall also sent his best wishes for the King's health and prosperity, saying he prays that God accept the acts of worship and support joint efforts in serving the Islamic community. The King also received greetings from the leaders of Syria, Djibouti, Lebanon, The Gambia, and Chad, among others. Tags: Eid Al AdhaKing Mohammed VI
Morocco World
8 hours ago
- Morocco World
DGSSI: Data Breach Affected Only Tawtik Platform Used by Notaries
Doha – The General Directorate of Information Systems Security (DGSSI) has concluded its investigation into the recent data breach initially reported on June 2. According to an official statement released on Friday, the compromised data originated exclusively from the platform, which is used by the National Council of Notaries. The DGSSI has clarified that contrary to earlier reports, the systems of the National Agency for Land Conservation, Cadastre and Cartography (ANCFCC) were not compromised. This statement aims to dispel confusion about the scope of the incident that has concerned users since reports first emerged. As an immediate response, authorities took the platform offline to identify and address the security vulnerabilities that led to the data exfiltration. 'Exploiting vulnerabilities in inadequately protected computers' Enhanced security measures have been implemented in accordance with DGSSI cybersecurity recommendations, with additional proactive actions deployed to prevent future incidents. The incident gained attention when the Algerian hacking group 'Jabaroot' claimed responsibility for the attack on June 2. The group alleged they had stolen approximately 10,000 property ownership certificates, 20,000 personal documents including sales deeds, civil status documents, ID cards, passports, and banking records. They claimed the breach amounted to 4 terabytes of data. This attack follows a similar breach in April when the same group targeted Morocco's National Social Security Fund (CNSS), exposing personal data of nearly 2 million Moroccan employees across approximately 500,000 businesses. The CNSS later stated that many of the leaked documents were 'often false, inaccurate or truncated.' Sources from ANCFCC had previously denied that their systems were directly compromised. As reported by Le360, an authorized source from the agency stated that no intrusion or data leak was detected in their information system. The source suggested the hackers may have accessed data on the notaries' platform by 'exploiting vulnerabilities in inadequately protected computers.' The Jabaroot group justified their attack as a response to what they called 'Moroccan media's false propaganda' regarding rumors about France freezing assets belonging to high-ranking Algerian officials. They described this alleged propaganda as 'an unjustified intervention and an opportunistic way to attack Algeria again on the international stage.' Morocco faces growing cybersecurity threats Documents leaked by the group reportedly included sensitive information of Moroccan officials. The group specifically claimed to have released documents belonging to senior officials, including alleged documents of Mohamed Yassine Mansouri, the director general of foreign intelligence. Cybersecurity experts have warned citizens not to open any of the leaked files circulating online, as they may contain security threats that could compromise personal data. This incident occurs amid increasing cybersecurity concerns in Morocco. In April, cybersecurity company Kaspersky reported that Morocco ranks third among African countries facing web-based threats, with 12.6 million attack attempts documented in 2024. Kenya leads with nearly 20 million incidents, followed by South Africa with approximately 17 million. A string of recent cyberattacks targeting Moroccan institutions has exposed serious gaps in the country's digital defenses. Between June 1 and June 3, 2025, multiple attacks targeted various Moroccan institutions, including the Ministry of Health, Bank Al-Maghrib, Maroc Telecom, and several educational institutions. Read also: Transparency Maroc: CNSS Data Breach Exposes Critical Flaws in Morocco's Cybersecurity Tags: Algerian hackersancfcccyberattack
Ya Biladi
9 hours ago
- Ya Biladi
Moroccan historian Bahija Simou honored with Italian Order of Merit for cultural contributions
The director of the Royal Archives of Morocco, Bahija Simou, has been awarded the insignia of Commander of the Order of Merit of Italy for her contribution to the promotion of heritage and the Moroccan-Italian cultural dialogue. These insignia were presented to her by the Italian ambassador to Morocco, Armando Barucco, on behalf of the President of the Republic, during the celebration of his country's national day. According to Armando Barucco, this high distinction, of which only ten are awarded each year, pays tribute to «a remarkable and exceptional contribution to the enhancement of Moroccan historical heritage, as well as the significant development of scientific and cultural exchanges between Morocco and Italy». An internationally recognized historian, Bahija Simou has distinguished herself through her rigorous work on the political and diplomatic relations between Morocco and Italy, illustrated by numerous reference publications. She is also a member of the Strategic Council of the Italian Leonardo MedOr Foundation and plays a central role in Euro-Mediterranean academic meetings, actively working to preserve collective memory. On this occasion, Bahija Simou expressed her deep gratitude to the Italian authorities, praising «the honor and strong symbolism» of this distinction. She emphasized that her research on Italy highlights «the geopolitical importance of Morocco and Italy in the Euro-Mediterranean space». She also recalled the historical depth of bilateral relations, which date back to the 12th century. After Italian unification, Morocco adopted a friendly stance towards Italy, which became, after independence, one of the kingdom's first economic partners. Italy was also the first European country visited by Mohammed V. Bahija Simou was keen to remind that this distinction «not only crowns a personal journey but also consecrates a commitment to a living, inclusive history that refuses to forget and values memories long kept in the shadows».
