Jan 11, 2021
DAKHLA, Western Sahara (AP) Trawlers pack the bustling Western Saharan port of Dakhla, where fish scales glisten from workers’ arms as they roll up their nets and buyers shout bids in a sprawling auction warehouse. Nearby, turquoise waters lap wide, nearly empty Atlantic beaches and diners sip tea in sidewalk cafes.
The United States plans to put its footprint in this picturesque setting.
U.S. Ambassador to Morocco David T. Fischer took part in a ceremony Sunday in Dakhla, the first formal step to open a consulate, marking a turning point for the disputed and closely policed territory in North Africa.
Associated Press
DAKHLA, Western Sahara Trawlers pack the bustling Western Saharan port of Dakhla, where fish scales glisten from workers’ arms as they roll up their nets and buyers shout bids in a sprawling auction warehouse.
Nearby, turquoise waters lap wide, nearly empty Atlantic beaches and diners sip tea in sidewalk cafes.
The United States plans to put its footprint in this picturesque setting.
U.S. Ambassador to Morocco David T. Fischer took part in a ceremony Sunday in Dakhla, the first formal step to open a consulate, marking a turning point for the disputed and closely policed territory in North Africa.
US consulate in Western Sahara to bolster ties with Morocco
Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita said Sunday that “Morocco feels stronger in its legitimate fight for its territorial integrity… with the support of its friends.”
Monday 11/01/2021
US Ambassador in Morocco David T. Fischer (L) and David Schenker, US Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs, (R) take a selfie wearing Sahrawi, in Dakhla. (AP)
DAKHLA, Western Sahara - The United States on Sunday started the “process of establishing” a consulate in the Western Sahara, after Washington recognised Morocco’s sovereignty over the disputed territory.
US President Donald Trump agreed last month to extend US recognition of Morocco’s soverignty over the Western Sahara in a deal which included Moroccan King Mohammed VI agreeing to reopen liaison offices between Morocco and Israel.
US consulate a turning point for disputed Western Sahar accesswdun.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from accesswdun.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
SHARE
The US hailed as historic a visit by Middle East envoy David Schenker to the Sahara, which laid the groundwork for it to open a consulate in the territory.
Mr Schenker, the US assistant secretary of state for near eastern affairs, travelled to Laayoune, the regional capital, on Saturday.
He met the city’s governor, Abdesslam Bikrat, and went to the headquarters of the UN peacekeeping mission for the territory.
Washington’s decision to recognise Morocco’s claim over the Sahara region is a shift in US foreign policy.
Mr Schenker travelled to Morocco from Algiers.
On Sunday, he was scheduled to head to Dakhla, where the official US presence in the Sahara will probably be based.