Moroccan king's letter confirms naming of major highway in honour of Trump

A letter from Morocco's King Mohammed VI has confirmed that the country has named a major highway after US President Donald Trump.Last week, in a social media post, Trump thanked the king for the honour, but there was not a parallel announcement from the Moroccan authorities.But Morocco's state press agency has published a letter the king wrote to the president telling him that the name-change was taking place as "a personal expression of my high regard".Formerly the Tiznit-Dakhla highway, the road enters Western Sahara, most of which Morocco occupies and claims sovereignty over. But part is controlled by the Polisario Front, an armed group seeking independence for the local Sahrawi people.In 2020, during the first Trump administration, the US recognised Morocco's claim over the disputed region as part of a deal whereby Morocco agreed to normalise relations with Israel.In his letter, dated 2 July but published over the weekend, King Mohammed highlighted what he called the US president's "historic recognition... of Morocco's sovereignty over its Sahara" saying that it would "forever be etched in the memory of Moroccans, from generation to generation"."Although our relations have always been rooted in close friendship and constant loyalty, they have never been as vigorous and fruitful as during your two presidential terms," the king added.The monarch called the 1,055km (655 mile) highway a "strategic axis" linking "north and south of Morocco". Morocco calls Western Sahara its "southern provinces".