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US Secretary of State Antony Blinken was visiting Morocco on Tuesday to debate North African safety points and meet the United Arab Emirates’ de facto chief Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahyan.
A serious focus of the journey is the month-old Russian invasion of Ukraine and sanctions in opposition to Moscow which have colluded to drive up world power and meals costs, spelling a menace for main grain importers.
“We all know this ache is keenly felt within the Center East and North Africa, the place most international locations import a minimum of half of their wheat,” State Division Performing Assistant Secretary Yael Lempert mentioned earlier than the journey.
Blinken flew in late Monday from Israel the place he had joined a gathering of high diplomats from the UAE, Morocco, Bahrain and Egypt that underlined the ocean change in relations between Arab international locations and the Jewish state.
US officers mentioned talks in Morocco, and in Algeria on Wednesday, would additionally take care of the Western Sahara dispute, improvement points and safety cooperation, together with on combating the Islamic State group and Al Qaeda within the Sahel.
In Morocco, Blinken will meet Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch and Overseas Minister Nasser Bourita, and individually a gaggle of Moroccan ladies concerned in science and know-how.
He’ll end the day on the native palace of Mohammed bin Zayed, usually dubbed “MBZ”, whose rich Gulf state, lengthy a US ally, has taken a extra assertive function within the area, stirring some consternation in Washington.
They had been set to debate efforts to revive the 2015 landmark Iran nuclear deal, which aimed to restrict Iran’s nuclear improvement in trade for loosening sanctions, however which former US president Donald Trump pulled Washington out of in 2018.
Additionally on the agenda would be the Yemen struggle the place a Saudi-led coalition together with the UAE has fought the Iran-backed Huthi rebels, who’ve stepped up cross-border missile and drone assaults within the Gulf area.
– Western Sahara –
In Morocco, a key focus will likely be Western Sahara, a disputed desert area greater than Britain that was a Spanish colony till 1975.
Morocco controls 80 % of it, whereas the remainder — a principally landlocked space bordering Mauritania and Algeria — is run by the Polisario Entrance.
Trump determined in 2020 to recognise Western Sahara as a part of Morocco, after the dominion had agreed to normalise relations with Israel below the so-called Abraham Accords.
Blinken will focus on with Moroccan leaders how President Joe Biden’s administration will observe up on Trump’s transfer.
Morocco has urged the US to take a step additional and open a consulate within the poor desert area — a transfer the Biden administration has not dedicated to.
As a substitute, the State Division mentioned in a report Monday that it helps Morocco’s Autonomy Plan for Western Sahara and the work of UN envoy Staffan de Mistura who has not advocated for a consulate.
Western Sahara is designated by the UN as a “non-self-governing territory” whose individuals “haven’t but attained a full measure of self-government”.
Blinken’s go to comes because the US seeks stronger assist throughout the Center East and North Africa for Ukraine after Russia’s invasion, with many international locations within the area reluctant to criticize Moscow.
That features Morocco, which has declined to sentence Russia on the United Nations, irritating each the Individuals and Europeans.
The UAE has additionally kept away from criticising Russia, just lately despatched its high diplomat to Moscow, and hosted the Russia-backed Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, considered a pariah by Washington.
The Emirates are a long-standing US ally however the Abu Dhabi crown prince, MBZ, has steered a extra assertive international coverage course, forging nearer ties with China and intervening within the Libya battle.
Requested about Washington’s ties with the UAE, a senior US official responded drily that the 2 sides will discuss “the subsequent part within the relationship and the way we will take it ahead.”
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