Morocco names highway after donald trump in diplomatic gesture

The Kingdom of Morocco has honored the former United States President with an unprecedented tribute. On August 1st, King Mohammed VI announced that the nation’s longest highway, stretching 1,055 kilometers from Tiznit to Dakhla, would bear the name Highway Donald Trump.

This symbolic gesture follows Washington’s historic 2020 recognition of Morocco’s sovereignty over the Sahara—a decision that remains deeply etched in the collective memory of Moroccans. In a formal letter dated July 2nd, the monarch expressed his gratitude for what he described as a “testament to friendship and peace.”

Sahara sovereignty and strategic alliances

The naming ceremony comes nearly six years after the Trump administration made a sudden but significant shift in policy. In December 2020, the U.S. endorsed Morocco’s proposal for a self-governing autonomy plan under Moroccan sovereignty, in exchange for the normalization of diplomatic ties between Morocco and Israel. This move was widely seen as a turning point in the decades-long dispute over the Western Sahara region.

The territory, once a Spanish colony until 1975, is rich in phosphate reserves and abundant fishing waters. While most of it has been controlled by Morocco since the 1970s, the United Nations continues to classify it as a non-self-governing territory, pending a resolution to its political status.

A highway of record-breaking scale

Spanning over 1,000 kilometers, the Tiznit-Dakhla Highway now stands as the longest road infrastructure in Africa. The project reflects Morocco’s ongoing commitment to enhancing national connectivity and economic integration across its southern regions.

In a reciprocal gesture, former President Trump celebrated the anniversary of King Mohammed VI’s 27-year reign by reaffirming his unwavering support for Morocco’s autonomy initiative for Western Sahara. His message, made public through official channels, underscored the enduring strength of bilateral relations.