Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita received the new U.S. Ambassador to Morocco, Richard Duke Buchan III, on Tuesday, only hours after the diplomat landed in Rabat, in a swift move widely interpreted as a strong sign of the two countries’ intention to accelerate diplomatic coordination and deepen bilateral cooperation in the coming period.
Ambassador Buchan expressed his gratitude for the warm welcome he received at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, noting on his official X account that he and Bourita held “an excellent discussion” on ways to further strengthen the “already strong ties between Morocco and the United States.”
This unusually rapid protocol step underscores the strategic importance both Rabat and Washington attach to their partnership, especially amid intensified coordination on key geopolitical files—foremost among them the Sahara issue. The latest UN Security Council Resolution 2797, drafted by the United States as “penholder,” calls on all parties to negotiate on the basis of Morocco’s Autonomy Plan, marking a clear diplomatic breakthrough for Rabat.
Buchan, who attended the October 31 vote at the Security Council, had previously declared during his confirmation hearings before the U.S. Senate that Morocco’s Autonomy Plan represents “the only serious, credible, and realistic solution” to the Sahara dispute, pledging to work toward advancing a final settlement within this framework.
His arrival in Morocco comes at a crucial moment, as Rabat prepares to submit a detailed version of the Autonomy Plan to the United Nations in the coming months. Diplomatic observers believe that close coordination with Washington will play a significant role in fast-tracking the political process.
Beyond political alignment, Buchan’s term is expected to carry a notable economic dimension due to his strong background in investment and international trade. His appointment is widely seen as an opportunity to expand U.S.-Morocco economic cooperation, particularly in the southern provinces, where major projects in renewable energy, ports, and infrastructure are progressing rapidly.
According to Moroccan Ambassador to Washington Youssef Amrani, several American companies have already expressed interest in investing in the southern provinces—a trend likely to accelerate with Buchan’s arrival, given Washington’s recognition of Morocco’s sovereignty over its Sahara since 2020.
Buchan has also openly stated that he intends to encourage more U.S. businesses to invest in Morocco, including in its southern regions, with a focus on technology, agriculture, energy, and transportation. This economic push is expected to mark the beginning of a new phase in bilateral economic relations.
Morocco, for its part, is clearly betting on the current presidential term of Donald Trump to secure a decisive breakthrough in resolving the Sahara dispute. The Trump administration’s 2020 recognition of Morocco’s sovereignty remains the cornerstone of this strategy.
Rabat believes that President Trump’s return to the White House has revived strong momentum for the autonomy-based solution, especially given his repeated public positions describing autonomy under Moroccan sovereignty as the only viable path to end the conflict.
In this context, Moroccan diplomacy is intensifying coordination with key allies—chiefly the United States—to move into a more advanced phase of the settlement process, in parallel with the Kingdom’s preparations to submit the detailed Autonomy Plan to the UN.
Experts in the Sahara file argue that strong U.S. backing under Trump offers Morocco a rare diplomatic window to transform its proposal into an explicitly endorsed international framework. Meanwhile, Rabat continues expanding its circle of supportive states and boosting economic development in the southern provinces as part of a broader, on-the-ground solution strategy.
