Marruecos afirma que la anulación de la cita se debe exclusivamente a la pandemia

There were many doubts about the reasons for postponing the High Level Meeting (HLM) traditionally held by Morocco and Spain, which was to take place on 17 December in Rabat. The fact that this decision coincided with the United States' announcement of recognition of Morocco's sovereignty over the Sahara suggested that the news would have affected the decision. Nonetheless, the Moroccan foreign minister conveyed that both countries were in agreement and that the reasons were "exclusively linked to the COVID-19".

Naser Burita has not proposed alternative dates, and has indicated that these "will be proposed to Spain for its assessment". The Minister added that the importance of the bilateral meeting and the issues to be discussed prevented it from being held in a telematic format, as has been done, for example, in the European Union. He also pointed out that given the development of the pandemic, security measures such as distancing would make the working sessions on the agenda more difficult.

Likewise, the US ambassador in Rabat, David Fischer, held a ceremony today at which he presented King Mohammed VI with a map of Morocco that includes the whole of Western Sahara. According to him, this is a way of 'making tangible' the announcement made by Donald Trump just two days ago. 

Trump's announcement would include the opening of a consulate in the Sahrawi city of Dakhla, where other African countries will also be established. According to the New York Times, recognition of Moroccan sovereignty would bring with it an investment of up to three billion dollars in projects ranging from energy to tourism.

Donald Trump is making the most of his last weeks at the head of the White House, but the fact that he is in office raises serious doubts about the validity of this recognition, which in any event it is up to Joe Biden to maintain or revoke.