The President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez, meets with King Mohamed VI of Morocco, in a bilateral meeting to symbolize the definitive closure of the diplomatic crisis between their two countries on April 7 in Rabat. MARISCAL (EFE)
The Spanish Government deepens its line of collaboration with Morocco after the change in position on Western Sahara while maintaining tension with Algeria precisely because of this change.
The Foreign Minister, José Manuel Albares, took advantage of his presence at the NATO General Assembly in New York to meet with his Moroccan counterpart, Naser Burita, and make some important progress in the relationship between the two countries.
Albares has vindicated the results of this new relationship with Morocco and in particular has advanced a very specific one: in January, according to the minister, land trade with Morocco will be reopened through the customs of Ceuta and Melilla.
This was part of the agreement between Mohamed VI and Sánchez after the turn on the Sahara, but for now its practical application has not arrived.
Now you have a date
More information
Did the victims of the Melilla fence tragedy die in Morocco or in Spain?
For Spain, this measure is very important not only from an economic point of view, because of what it means for the two autonomous cities, but also from a political point of view, since, in some way, with this action, Morocco is implicitly recognizing a border in two cities that it has historically claimed as its own territory.
“We have agreed to work so that the beginning of the passage of goods by land takes place throughout the month of January”, the minister pointed out.
“We have reaffirmed the Spanish-Moroccan friendship.
All the working groups that we have created have held meetings and are complying with the roadmap.
We have resumed air, sea and land communications.
This has allowed thousands of Moroccan families to meet again after the Crossing the Strait operation.
Also,
In addition, Albares has assured later that both governments are already finalizing the agenda to convene a high-level meeting (RAN) before the end of this year, probably in November.
The fact that the minister is already talking about dates indicates that the negotiation is very mature.
The RAN between the two countries has not been convened since 2015, so it would be especially significant.
In fact, on the last occasion that it was attempted, in 2020, the appointment, chaired by King Mohamed VI and Pedro Sánchez, was already practically closed, but it has the presence of a dozen ministers from both countries, Morocco canceled it in full turn of the policy on the US Sahara. From that moment began the growing tension that finally ended with the withdrawal of the ambassador and the assault on the Ceuta fence of 10,000 immigrants, and which was only resolved with the turn of Sánchez on the Sahara, which caused a major controversy in Spain and has had as an immediate consequence the tension with Algeria, facing Morocco.
In addition, the Foreign Minister has assured that Spain will grant 20 million euros for microcredits to incorporate young people and women into the productive economy, and that it will offer its southern neighbor technical assistance in the railway, water, and desalination sectors. .
Albares has added that the arrivals of irregular immigrants from Morocco have been reduced by 20% in recent months, to claim the concrete results of a shift in the diplomatic paradigm of Spain that is very controversial in Spain, but that the Executive defends at all times because he understands it brings positive consequences for Ceuta, Melilla and the Canary Islands.