Casablanca: Duke Buchan III appointment was announced last March by U.S. President Donald Trump, who said that the new ambassador “will play a pivotal role as we strengthen peace, freedom, and prosperity for both of our countries.” Speaking during his confirmation hearing before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee last July, Buchan stressed that Morocco is ‘a pillar of stability’, adding that the Kingdom’s strategic location ‘makes it critical to American national security.’

According to Agence Marocaine De Presse, Buchan committed himself to strengthening the “long-standing security relationship” between Washington and Rabat “as we confront common challenge”, noting that the Kingdom is one of the U.S oldest partners. “Our Treaty of Peace and Friendship dates back to 1786. For almost two hundred and forty years, our bilateral relationship has made Americans and Moroccans safer, stronger, and more prosperous,” he said.

He added that Morocco ‘is also a model economic partner,’ noting that the U.S. and Morocco have a robust trade relationship. In this regard, he called for increasing opportunities for U.S. businesses ‘throughout Morocco, where America can offer world-class technology to support Morocco’s ambitions to build its technology, transportation, agriculture and energy sectors.’

The new ambassador also recalled his country’s position, reiterated on April 8 by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, recognizing Moroccan sovereignty over the Sahara and supporting ‘Morocco’s serious, credible and realistic Autonomy Proposal as the only basis for a just and lasting solution to the dispute.’ He added that the U.S. State Secretary also reaffirmed President Trump’s call for the parties to ‘engage in discussions without delay, using Morocco’s Autonomy Proposal as the only framework, to negotiate a mutually acceptable solution.’ In this regard, the new U.S. ambassador stated that ‘he will facilitate progress toward this goal.’

Mr. Buchan’s confirmation by the Senate takes place following the announcement by the US administration that the United States is encouraging American investment in the Kingdom’s southern provinces. Duke Buchan III served as the United States ambassador to Spain and Andorra from 2017 to 2021. Born in 1963, Duke Buchan III received a BA in economics and Spanish from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and an MBA from Harvard Business School.