U.S. Ambassador to Morocco Duke Buchan III used Washington’s 250th Independence Day celebration in Rabat to reaffirm U.S. support for Morocco’s autonomy plan and place the kingdom’s southern provinces inside a wider economic and strategic partnership.
“The United States, and particularly President Trump, stand firmly alongside Morocco,” Buchan said at the historic Chellah site, in a speech delivered before Princess Lalla Zineb, Royal Adviser André Azoulay and several members of the government.
Buchan said Washington’s position includes “unwavering” support for Morocco’s autonomy initiative, which he described as the only basis for a just and lasting solution to the regional dispute over the Sahara.
He said U.S. engagement in Morocco extends “from Tangier to Dakhla,” pointing to opportunities for American companies in future technologies, data centers, innovation and energy.
The ambassador said U.S. investment in diplomatic facilities in Rabat and Casablanca now exceeds half a billion dollars, with an American mission employing more than 1,000 people.
He linked that footprint to a diplomatic relationship stretching from the American Legation in Tangier, the oldest U.S. diplomatic property in the world, to the new U.S. Consulate General in Casablanca.
Buchan also recalled his first visit to Morocco 43 years ago, saying he had taken home a cactus-silk carpet woven by Amazigh hands. Its survival across decades, he said, reflected the endurance of ties between the two countries.
He praised the African Lion military exercise, highlighting the medical and humanitarian work carried out jointly by Moroccan and American military doctors.
The celebration at Chellah marked 250 years of American independence and nearly 250 years of friendship between Morocco and the United States. Morocco was the first country to recognize U.S. independence, a point Buchan used to frame the kingdom as America’s oldest friend and most reliable ally in the region.
Standing near the historic walls of Chellah and the Mohammed VI Tower, the ambassador paid tribute to King Mohammed VI’s vision and said U.S.-Morocco relations are built on security, investment and shared opportunity.
Buchan also voiced support for Morocco’s national football team ahead of the 2026 World Cup, which the United States is co-hosting with Mexico and Canada.
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