The United States will open a consulate in Western Sahara.

According to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, they look forward to promoting economic and social development and engaging people in this region.

The virtual diplomatic presence will be operated by the US Embassy in Rabat and will focus on economic and social development, the State Department said in a statement. The State Department plans to eventually create a full-fledged consulate in the region.

The announcement comes after President Donald Trump announced earlier this month that the US will recognize Morocco's long-standing claims to the former Spanish territory as part of the normalization of relations between Morocco and Israel.

Prior to the Israeli-Moroccan deal, US policy on the territory was in line with the demands of the EU, the UN, and the African Union calling for self-determination of the territory.

Western Sahara was a Spanish colony until the mid-1970s, when Morocco invaded and established de facto control over most of the territory, which remains to this day.