![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")
Between December 4 and 6, the Royal Moroccan navy rescued 181 undocumented migrants from eight boats.
Both Moroccan and sub-Saharan migrants were aboard eight makeshift boats when naval forces discovered them at risk of sinking between Tuesday and Thursday of this week.
The Royal Armed Forces (FAR) reported that two of the migrant boats sank soon after the navy helped the immigrants to safety.
The navy units successfully returned the migrants to Ksar Sghir in Tangier, Al Hoceima, and Nador in the Rif region.
Read Also: Spanish Navy Plays National Anthem Provocatively near Gibraltar
In a similar rescue operation in November, the navy rescued 136 undocumented migrants aboard inflatable boats near Tangier. The intercepted migrants were also sailing from Nador and Tangier.
Late in October, the Moroccan navy intercepted four boats carrying 143 migrants off the coasts of Tangier and Nador.
Attempts at irregular migration continue to pressure Moroccan authorities and make headlines in Morocco. In September, a young Moroccan woman named Hayat died after navy opened fire on a migrant speed boat.
Moroccans have protested the harsh measures against migrants, and the government has reported large numbers of “intercepted immigrants.”
