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last mo.

UK Recognises Moroccan Sovereignty Over Western Sahara Through £33bn Partnership

London has endorsed Morocco’s autonomy framework for Western Sahara as part of a strategy to resolve the five-decade territorial conflict

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Overview

  • The UK has formally recognised Morocco’s claim to Western Sahara, aligning with the US, France, Germany and Israel after remaining neutral for 50 years.
  • The £33bn economic partnership guarantees British firms priority in major public procurement projects over the next three years.
  • Planned contracts include a £1.2bn upgrade of Casablanca Airport and a £150m new hospital as part of Morocco’s Airports2030 and healthcare reform programmes.
  • Foreign Secretary David Lammy called autonomy within the Moroccan state the most pragmatic route to a lasting settlement of the Western Sahara dispute.
  • The deal builds on a £4bn-annual UK-Morocco trade relationship and reflects a ‘progressive realism’ strategy to boost growth across water, health and trade sectors.