U.S. Recognition of Moroccan Sovereignty Over Western Sahara Criticized as Colonial Legacy
The U.S. recognition of Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara, initiated by President Trump in December 2020, is being criticized as a perpetuation of colonialism in the 21st century. This decision, made in exchange for Morocco normalizing relations with Israel as part of the Abraham Accords, is viewed by some as treating a territory pending decolonization as a bargaining chip. Western Sahara remains on the United Nations list of non-self-governing territories, with Spain still considered the de jure administering power. The Polisario Front, recognized by the UN and African Union as the legitimate representative of the Sahrawi people, continues to advocate for a self-determination referendum, which has been delayed for over three decades despite the establishment of MINURSO in 1991 to oversee it. Morocco's claim to the territory is supported by strategic alliances with Western powers and Israel, while critics argue this alliance maintains a scenario of war and occupation to control the region's rich nat... 
