Spain's turn in 2022 in favor of Morocco in the Western Sahara conflict, in which it viewed the Moroccan autonomy proposal as “the most serious, credible and realistic basis” for resolving the conflict, has led to a warm understanding on both sides of the Strait. After long months of bilateral crisis, triggered precisely by the admission of Polisario Front leader Brahim Gali to a hospital in Logroño for treatment of a serious infection during the pandemic, diplomatic and economic relations have increased. This was stated at the High Level Meeting (RAN) held by both governments in Rabat a year ago.
King Mohamed VI and the President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez, who, as confirmed by the government, want to meet again this Wednesday in Rabat, had sealed a roadmap that envisaged, as a cornerstone, the introduction of customs duties at the borders of Ceuta – newly built – and Melilla, that has been closed since 2018. However, almost two years later, the commercial terminals are still not operational, despite pilot tests having been carried out since January 2023 and their opening planned before the RAN.
During the summit in February 2023, King Mohamed VI. not in the Maghreb country and then promised Sánchez by telephone when the head of government was already in the Moroccan capital that he would receive him personally as soon as possible. However, the legislative period that Spain entered shortly afterwards postponed the meeting.
The monarch of the Alawite dynasty usually spends an extended winter vacation outside his country. Last December, after a visit to the United Arab Emirates to negotiate financing for investment plans in Morocco, he began a stay in the Seychelles in the Indian Ocean, which he later extended to Zanzibar, off the east coast of Africa, reports said. The Moroccan Press. In his capacity as commander of the faithful, the ruler returns to Morocco ahead of the start of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, which is scheduled to begin on March 11 this year
Minister Albares, who is accompanying the President on his trip this Wednesday, confirmed on December 14th in Rabat during his first bilateral visit of the new legislative period the good state of a bilateral relationship that “has never been so intense and fruitful.” Wait,” he said to his Moroccan counterpart Naser Burita. He then committed to adhering to the roadmap. In an interview with EL PAÍS before his last visit to Morocco, the head of Spanish diplomacy highlighted “the desire for full implementation”.
While the blockade on the opening of trade tariffs continues for a long time, Spain, Morocco's largest trading partner, also aims to lead the investment plans. Despite the economic setback caused by last September's powerful earthquake in the south of the country, the government of Rabat is embarking on an infrastructure modernization program aimed at 2030.
What influences the most is what happens next. To make sure you don't miss anything, subscribe.
Subscribe to
The renewal of railways is one of the most important, and it was for this purpose that Mohammed VI traveled. on December 5 to the United Arab Emirates to agree on a dozen plans to finance projects and purchase new trains, including high-speed, for an amount of 1,465 million euros. Companies interested in the award include Spanish companies Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles (CAF) and Talgo.
Water-related programs – desalination plants and irrigation – are also a priority for Morocco's economy, which has been suffering from a severe drought for three years. The Spanish group Acciona has been commissioned to build and operate, together with two Moroccan companies, the new mega desalination plant in Casablanca, with a budget of 800 million euros intended for the seven million inhabitants of the largest metropolitan region in the Maghreb country. As the icing on the cake of the apparent honeymoon in bilateral relations, the joint organization of the 2030 World Cup has strengthened understanding between Spain and Morocco in recent months.
Immigration and drug boats
The fight against irregular immigration is a priority on the bilateral agenda, even if Morocco is not the main cause of concern in this case. Since Pedro Sánchez supported the Moroccan solution for Western Sahara, greater cooperation on migration issues has been observed. Although Moroccans remain the largest nationality among irregular immigrants, with more than 14,000 people, there is greater control by security forces.
On the migration route to the Canary Islands, the main departure point for boats is now Mauritania, and Senegal already was, leaving Morocco and Western Sahara to play a far more minor role than usual. According to internal data, the Royal Navy intercepts 40% of emigrants heading to the islands, a high percentage compared to other times.
Another problem is the north of the country, where more control has been exercised since 2018, but where several problems converge. According to police, arrivals from northern Morocco to the peninsula doubled last year compared to 2022, and the number of refugees intercepted by Moroccans in the area easily exceeds 10%. The emergence of drug gangs that combine drug trafficking with immigrant trafficking has a lot to do with these numbers. In just one year, more than 200 boats of this type were registered that picked up immigrants on the Moroccan coast and forcibly dropped them off near the Spanish coast, causing several deaths.
The activities of this mafia are a particularly sensitive issue for Spain at the moment, not only because of immigration, but also because of the recent incident in which one of these boats ran over a Civil Guard patrol boat, killing two agents. An episode that reveals the growing power of human traffickers doing business between the two banks.
Ceuta is also experiencing a delicate moment after many months of a certain calm. The president of the city, the popular Juan Jesús Vivas, called on the government this Tuesday to “help” the autonomous city in the face of growing migratory pressure. So far this year, more than a hundred undocumented minors have arrived from the Moroccan coast, mostly by swimming.
On the other hand, Sánchez's visit coincides with a series of raids against Sub-Saharan migrants based in Casablanca. Security forces are dismantling the camps where sub-Saharan communities live and forcing them to board buses for transport to towns far from urban centers. During one of these missions, a charred body was found after a fire broke out.
Subscribe to continue reading
Read without limits
_