"Thank you, the esteemed King Mohammed VI of Morocco. What a great honor!", former US President Donald Trump wrote in a Truth Social post on 26/7. "I hope to one day travel the entire length of this magnificent highway, hopefully soon!"

The post included a video showcasing vast desert landscapes and a section of the USD one billion highway linking the cities of Dakhla and Tiznit, traversing an area Morocco considers part of its southern provinces.

President Donald J. Trump highway in Morocco. Video: Truth Social/Donald J.Trump

The video describes the "President Donald J. Trump highway" as one of Africa's longest roads, stretching across 7% of the continent's Atlantic coastline. It will be part of a broader network, connecting West Africa through Morocco to the southern Mediterranean coast.

Morocco has not confirmed this information. A government spokesperson did not respond to requests for comment.

According to observers, this move further strengthens Trump's close ties with the nation, a leading Washington ally in North Africa.

King Mohammed VI of Morocco addressing the nation from the royal palace in Fez in 7/2021. Photo: Reuters

This is also seen as Morocco's recognition of Trump's 2020 decision to acknowledge the nation's sovereignty over Western Sahara, the disputed territory through which much of the highway passes.

The highway is one of Morocco's most strategic infrastructure investments in recent years.

Beyond facilitating domestic transport, the project will reduce freight costs, enhance road traffic safety, and shorten transit times for goods between Europe, Morocco, and West Africa.

It also forms a vital link to the planned Dakhla Atlantic port, a multi-billion USD deep-water port that the Moroccan authorities hope will become one of Africa's leading logistics hubs.

Both the highway and the seaport are designed to support Morocco's broader strategy of positioning itself as a trade bridge between European markets and rapidly growing African economies.

This project also complements Morocco's Atlantic Initiative, which aims to improve global market access for landlocked Sahel countries by providing alternative trade routes via Morocco's Atlantic coast.