Rabat – Steve Witkoff, the special envoy of US President Donald Trump for the Middle East, announced that the United States is working on a peace agreement between Morocco and Algeria.
He made a bold promise, saying Washington expects to secure the deal within the next 60 days, despite the fact that the two neighboring countries have had no diplomatic relations since August 2021.
In an interview with CBS News, Witkoff said, “We are working on Morocco and Algeria right now. Our team is focused on it, there is going to be a peace deal in the next, in my view, 60 days.”
Although Witkoff did not directly mention the Western Sahara dispute, Trump’s adviser on African affairs, Massad Boulos, who is also the father of his son-in-law, Michael Boulous, spoke about it in a recent interview with Asharq News. Boulos stated that Algeria wants a “fundamental and final solution to the Western Sahara dispute.”
Boulos said he recently met Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune and found him “open to rebuilding bridges of trust with the Moroccan people, with the King, and with the Moroccan government.”
“In the end, the two countries are brotherly nations and neighbors who share a long history, values, and many interests,” he added.
Boulos also referred to King Mohammed VI’s recent speech, calling it “historic” and noting that the King clearly expressed his determination to reach a lasting and fair solution to the Sahara issue, one that satisfies all sides.
“We are counting on His Majesty the King’s wisdom and on the historic stance he has taken, as well as on cooperation with all parties, including the Algerians, with whom we have very good relations,” Boulos stated.
He emphasized the importance of the coming weeks, pointing out that the UN Security Council will soon meet to renew the mandate of the UN peacekeeping mission in Western Sahara (MINURSO) and discuss related issues.
Why Morocco and Algeria’s relations are strained
Morocco and Algeria have endured decades of strained relations, largely due to the dispute over Western Sahara. The territory is an integral part of Morocco’s sovereign land, and the country has put forward its 2007 autonomy plan as the only realistic and pragmatic path to a lasting solution.
The autonomy plan offers substantial self-rule for the Sahrawi region under Moroccan sovereignty, allowing local administration while Morocco retains oversight over foreign affairs and defence. Over recent years, the Moroccan position has gained increasing international recognition, with major partners, including the UK, France, and the US, endorsing Morocco’s proposal.
In addition, several other countries, including African nations, have opened diplomatic representations in the southern cities of Laayoune and Dakhla to express their backing for Morocco’s Autonomy Plan for Western Sahara.
Meanwhile, Algeria continues to support the Polisario Front, funding and hosting its leadership in the Tindouf camps, while claiming it is merely an advocate for the Sahrawi people’s right to self-determination and “observer” rather than a direct party to the dispute.
In August 2021, Algeria severed diplomatic ties with Morocco, citing “hostile acts,” a move Rabat described as unjustified. The land border remains closed; in fact Morocco’s border with Algeria has been shut since 1994, and formal dialogue has been largely frozen.
The current momentum constitutes a pivotal opportunity, as Morocco’s autonomy proposal is now backed by key global players, and there is hope that renewed diplomatic efforts, including potential mediation with Algeria, can lead to a durable normalization of relations and open the way for regional cooperation.
King Mohammed VI has offered multiple olive branches, reiterating the open stance in multiple speeches. However, if Algiers remains politically unresponsive in action, the stalemate is expected to continue.
