A letter from Morocco's King Mohammed VI confirmed that the North African country named a major highway after US President Donald Trump.

Last week, in a social media post, Trump thanked the king for the distinction, but there was no official announcement from Moroccan authorities.

But Morocco's state press agency has now reported a letter the king wrote to the US president telling him the name change was being carried out as "a personal expression of my high esteem."

Formerly known as the Tiznit-Dakhla highway, this road enters Western Sahara, a territory that Morocco occupies for the most part and over which it claims sovereignty.

However, a part is controlled by the Polisario Front, an armed group that seeks independence for the Sahrawi people.

In 2020, during the first Trump administration, the United States recognized Morocco's claim to the disputed region as part of an agreement in which Morocco agreed to normalize its relations with Israel.

“Historical recognition”

In his letter, dated July 2 but published last weekend, King Mohammed highlighted what he called the “historic recognition” of the “sovereignty of Morocco over its Sahara” by the American president.

He assured that this “would be forever recorded in the memory of Moroccans, from generation to generation.”

“While our relations have always been based on close friendship and constant loyalty, they have never been so vigorous and fruitful as during his two presidential terms,” the king added.

The monarch described the 1,055 km highway as a “strategic axis” that links “the north and south of Morocco.”

Morocco considers Western Sahara part of its “southern provinces.”

That former Spanish colony – considered a “non-autonomous territory” by the UN – has been the scene of five decades of disputes in one of the longest conflicts in Africa.

disputed territory

The UN has pushed for a solution to the conflict, including a referendum, but the area's indigenous people have never been able to vote on their own future.

The African Union recognizes the independence of Western Sahara.

Until recently, European governments have avoided taking sides. However, some, such as the United Kingdom and Spain, have backed Morocco's plan to grant autonomy to Western Sahara but deny it independence.

Trump's Truth Social post last week about the highway's name change also included a video about it, claiming it cost nearly $1 billion to build.

“I hope to one day be able to travel the entire length of this great highway, hopefully soon!” wrote the president.

This news has been tken from authentic news syndicates and agencies and only the wordings has been changed keeping the menaing intact. We have not done personal research yet and do not guarantee the complete genuinity and request you to verify from other sources too.