A missive from Morocco's King Mohammed VI has confirmed that the state has named a large road aft US President Donald Trump.
Last week, successful a societal media post, Trump thanked the king for the honour, but determination was not a parallel announcement from the Moroccan authorities.
But Morocco's authorities property bureau has published a missive the king wrote to the president telling him that the name-change was taking spot arsenic "a idiosyncratic look of my precocious regard".
Formerly the Tiznit-Dakhla highway, the roadworthy enters Western Sahara, astir of which Morocco occupies and claims sovereignty over. But portion is controlled by the Polisario Front, an equipped radical seeking independency for the section Sahrawi people.
In 2020, during the archetypal Trump administration, the US recognised Morocco's assertion implicit the disputed portion arsenic portion of a woody whereby Morocco agreed to normalise relations with Israel.
In his letter, dated 2 July but published implicit the weekend, King Mohammed highlighted what helium called the US president's "historic recognition... of Morocco's sovereignty implicit its Sahara" saying that it would "forever beryllium etched successful the representation of Moroccans, from procreation to generation".
"Although our relations person ever been rooted successful adjacent relationship and changeless loyalty, they person ne'er been arsenic vigorous and fruitful arsenic during your 2 statesmanlike terms," the king added.
The monarch called the 1,055km (655 mile) road a "strategic axis" linking "north and southbound of Morocco". Morocco calls Western Sahara its "southern provinces".
A erstwhile Spanish colony, Western Sahara - which is considered a "non-self-governing territory" by the UN - has been fought implicit for 5 decades successful 1 of Africa's longest conflicts.
The UN has consistently pushed for a solution to the dispute, including a referendum, but the indigenous radical of the country person ne'er been capable to ballot for their ain future.
The African Union recognises Western Sahara's independence.
European governments person until precocious avoided taking sides. But some, including the UK and Spain person backed Morocco's program to assistance Western Sahara autonomy but contradict it independence.
Trump's Truth Social station connected the renaming past week besides included a video astir the roadworthy saying that it outgo astir $1bn (£740m) to build.
"I look guardant to traveling the full magnitude of this large road someday, hopefully soon!" the president wrote.
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