Assistance For Morocco And For Western Sahara

As in past years, the Congress included assistance for Morocco in the Fiscal Year 2022 State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Act.  Morocco is a valued partner of the United States on many issues ranging from trade to regional security.  Unlike recent years, however, the Congress did not list the Western Sahara under Morocco in the Act.  That is because the Fiscal Year 2022 Act, like the United Nations, does not recognize Western Sahara as part of Morocco.  Assistance for Western Sahara is included elsewhere in the Act, under the Middle East Partnership Initiative.  The explanatory statement accompanying the Act directs the Secretary of State to “continue to support a United Nations-led political process that achieves a just, lasting and mutually acceptable political solution in accordance with relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions.”  The political status of Western Sahara is an issue to be resolved by the parties to the conflict, not by the Congress.