Moroccan king confirms highway named after Trump in Western Sahara

A new stretch of highway has been completed that now extends into Western Sahara, a territory whose status remains contested under international law. The road, part of a broader infrastructure initiative aimed at improving regional connectivity, links major Moroccan cities with remote areas in the western part of the Sahara, facilitating the movement of goods and passengers across the expanded network.

Western Sahara has been the subject of a long‑standing dispute, with Morocco asserting sovereignty over the region while the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic, backed by the Polisario Front, seeks independence. The extension of the highway has drawn attention from United Nations observers and human‑rights groups, who note that infrastructure projects in the area may influence the political dynamics of the conflict. Moroccan officials maintain that the development is intended to boost economic opportunities for local communities, while critics argue it could further entrench Morocco’s administrative control. The road’s opening underscores the complex interplay between development objectives and the unresolved status of Western Sahara.