Massad Boulos, Senior Adviser to former U.S. President Donald Trump for African Affairs, has announced that the United States will open a consulate in the city of Dakhla during Trump’s second presidential term, affirming that “its name is the Moroccan Sahara, not the Western Sahara.”
In an interview aired Thursday on Al Sharq channel, Boulos was asked whether the United States plans to open a consulate in the Sahara during Trump’s next term. He replied confidently, “Of course, God willing.”
“It is the Moroccan Sahara,” he stressed, recalling that “President Trump affirmed Morocco’s sovereignty over the Sahara and called for a lasting solution to this issue.”
Boulos referred to King Mohammed VI’s latest Throne Day speech, describing it as “very clear and historic.” He highlighted the King’s remarks about relations with Algeria and the importance of cooperation with the Algerian people and government.
Quoting the monarch, Boulos reiterated the need for “a satisfactory and permanent solution that preserves everyone’s dignity — a solution with no winner and no loser.”
Turning to international efforts, the Trump adviser said the upcoming United Nations Security Council session will focus primarily on the UN mission in the Sahara. “We are counting on the King’s nobility and the historic stance he has taken,” he said, adding that Washington seeks to cooperate with all stakeholders, including Algeria, “with whom we maintain good relations.”
Boulos recalled his recent visit to Algeria, where he met President Abdelmadjid Tebboune, noting that U.S.–Algerian relations remain positive. He said Algerian officials expressed a desire for “a comprehensive and final solution” to the Sahara issue and a willingness to improve ties with Morocco and its people, leadership, and government.
He further underlined that the conflict is nearing its 50th anniversary. “It is time to resolve it,” he said, thanking European partners — particularly France, the United Kingdom, Spain, and the European Union — for their role in supporting efforts toward peace.
Concluding his remarks, Boulos said he was “more optimistic than ever that this issue will reach a positive and lasting outcome.”
