US Opens ‘Virtual’ Consulate in Western Sahara

Less than a month after recognizing Morocco’s sovereignty over Western Sahara, the United States announced it had begun the process of setting up a consulate in the disputed territory, aimed at “promoting economic and social development.” According to a statement issued Thursday by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Washington will in the meantime inaugurate a “virtual presence” in the land claimed by Rabat as Moroccan territory, before establishing a “fully functioning consulate.” US President Donald Trump’s announcement that he had decided to officially approve Morocco’s annexation of Western Sahara in return for Rabat’s formalizing ties with Israel made the US one of the first countries in the world to sanction Morocco’s sovereignty in the region. The vast desert land also borders Algeria and Mauritania. Earlier this week, an Israeli delegation made its first official visit to Rabat since the two nations established diplomatic relations two weeks ago. Morocco joined the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Sudan in forging close ties with the Jewish state.