Morocco is accelerating economic development in the Sahara, rolling out infrastructure projects and attracting investments that would make the territory a gateway towards the rest of Africa, the World Politics Review reported.
Building on decades of projects, Morocco sped up economic investments in the territory following Trump’s recognition of the Sahara as part of Morocco, a move that was reverberated across Western capitals with Paris following suit, while former occupier Madrid backed the Moroccan autonomy plan as the sole solution to the territorial dispute together with the UK.
Rabat has gained support from over 100 UN member states, including key European powers like Germany, the Netherlands, Portugal and most of Africa and the Arab World.
At the heart of Morocco’s new approach is the $1.2 billion Dakhla Atlantic Port project, which aims to turn the Sahara into a gateway between West Africa and global markets, it wrote.
The port, now halfway complete, will facilitate exports of agricultural goods, seafood, phosphates, and rare earth minerals to Europe and Latin America by 2029, the US publication said.
A $1 billion highway connecting Dakhla to Tangier and negotiations with Sahelian countries like Mali and Niger further underscore Morocco’s commitment to regional integration, it added.
This economic diplomacy is already yielding results. France’s President Emmanuel Macron recently described the development of Western Sahara as “an imperative,” pledging support for Morocco’s efforts
The UK has also linked its endorsement of Morocco’s autonomy plan to expanded trade agreements, positioning British firms to benefit from upcoming infrastructure projects tied to the 2030 FIFA World Cup, which Morocco will co-host with Spain and Portugal.
Morocco’s success lies in its ability to present Western Sahara not just as a geopolitical issue, but as a development opportunity. By investing in infrastructure and fostering trade, Rabat is building a compelling case for stability and prosperity in the region.
As World Politics Review notes, this reframing has “played a pivotal role in Morocco’s autonomy campaign.”