![Spanish Representatives Oppose Morocco’s Joint Bid with Spain and Portugal Spain’ Prime Minister proposed a trio bid with Morocco and Portugal to host the 2030 World Cup; but the idea does not appear to be popular with Spanish politicians. The representatives of two Spanish political parties, the People’s Party and the Citizens-Party, have said they do not want Spain to submit a joint candidacy with Portugal and Morocco for the 2030 World Cup. In a meeting organized by the National Federation of Sports Facilities Entrepreneurs (FNEID) in Madrid, the People’s party representative, Vicente Azpitarte dismissively spoke about Spain joining a trio with Morocco and Portugal to organize the World Cup. Azpitarte specifically wondered whether Spain would get any advantages from teaming up with the two countries, t Spanish news outlet Iusport reported on Wednesday. The Citizens-Party representative, Roberto Nunez, agreed with Azpitarte. “We do not intend to organize a World Cup with other countries. Spain has more than enough capacity [to organize the World Cup], it is a country that has already organized a World Cup, and we do not understand that proposal,” Nunez said. The adviser of United Podemos, Oscar Penas, stated that he does not clearly see why “the priority is to organize a World Cup or an Olympiad at this time.” Morocco and Spain cooperate on a number of issues, ranging from security and migration to trade and education. On November 18, the Spanish Prime Minister, Pedro Sanchez, arrived in Morocco for a first visit since his election to premiership. During his visit, Sanchez proposed to both Head of Government Saad Eddine El Othmani and King Mohammed VI a joint bid for the 2030 World Cup. “We are launching a joint message, which is that this will be a bid between two continents. The King of Morocco is receptive and we’re going to work on it with Portugal. We are very excited about it,” Sanchez said.](https://www.moroccoworldnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/ABL-Launches-in-Casablanca-Becoming-Africa’s-First-Aircraft-Leaser-180x135.jpeg "ABL Launches in Casablanca, Becoming Africa’s First Aircraft Leaser")
Rabat - The Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), Patricia Espinosa, praised on Wednesday in Fiji the “great” Moroccan presidency of COP22, held in Marrakech in November 2016, expressing optimism about upcoming Fiji presidency of COP23.
Rabat – The Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), Patricia Espinosa, praised on Wednesday in Fiji the “great” Moroccan presidency of COP22, held in Marrakech in November 2016, expressing optimism about upcoming Fiji presidency of COP23.
“The Moroccan presidency was great, and we had an incredible partner with whom we delivered the first session of the Conference,” said the official in a statement to the MAP on the sidelines of the Pre-COP23 meeting.
Espinosa also expressed her appreciation and gratitude to Morocco for the “extraordinary” support given to Fiji in order to advance the climate change agenda.
“We remember with gratitude your [Salah Eddine Mezouar] strong endorsement of Fiji’s Presidency; your constant reminder that this is a year in which we must accelerate progress in the negotiations to safeguard the interests of the most vulnerable,” said Espinosa.
“The Pre-COP in Fiji is an important and constructive step towards another successful COP23 after Paris and Marrakech,” she added.
The Pre-COP ministerial meeting was organized prior to the 23rd Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP23) at the 13th meeting of the Conference of the Paris agreement.
Co-chaired by Salah Eddine Mezouar and Fiji Prime Minister Josaia Voreqe Bainimarama, Chairpersons of COP22 and 23 respectively, the ministerial meeting served as a basis for high-level political discussions on key elements of the COP23 negotiations in preparation for the next meetings of the conference in Bonn.
The discussions focused on the key issues related to the implementation of the Paris Accord and will provide an opportunity to build on the conclusions of the highly successful COP22 in Marrakech, to reaffirm the commitment of the countries in favor of the Paris Agreement and to take significant steps to advance the implementation of the Marrakech roadmap.
