President Donald Trump on Friday signed into law the 2019 appropriation legislation that stipulates explicitly that the assistance funds allocated to Morocco will also benefit the Sahara. Morocco welcomed the text, which recognizes Morocco’s sovereignty over its Sahara southern provinces, as it is unequivocally pro-Morocco and unusually forthcoming on US development funds for the Sahara. It reiterates Morocco’s position that the Sahara should be considered as part of the US aids funds allocated to Morocco. “Funds appropriated under title III of this Act shall be made available for assistance for the Western Sahara,” reads the bill’s “Morocco” section. It noted that these provisions refer to the documented diversions and trafficking of international aid destined to the populations of these camps.

Source: The North Africa Journal February 16, 2019 14:03 UTC