![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")
Is Africa the forgotten but outstanding achiever in a world beset by imploding crises?
Rabat – America’s first female secretary of state, Madeline Albright, has singled out Africa’s upbeat developments in a world witnessing many crises, both between and within counties.
Albright, who led America’s diplomatic corps 1997-2001 during Bill Clinton’s presidency, was one of the leading guest speakers at the 7th Atlantic Dialogues, a geopolitical event in Marrakech December 13-15.
Organized by the Center for the New South, formerly known as OCP Policy Center, the three-day event continued its tradition of inviting leading voices on diplomacy and global affairs to speak on some of the trends in international relations.
In a speech that echoed this year’s Atlantic Dialogues’ theme, “Atlantic Dynamics: Overcoming the Choke Points,” the American diplomat copiously spoke of the growing friction between countries brought about by a politics of resentment and “rage.”
Arguing that isolationism and rivalry are replacing international dialogue, Albright regretted the “dangerous rise of nationalism in the world, notably in Europe.”
She particularly lambasted the West for the plight of migrants and refugees and called out Europe and the US for their increasingly security-oriented migration policies. President Trump, she said, is America’s “least democratic president.”
“No one seems to understand how the system really works,” she said of the rise of post-truth, fake news, and conspiracy theories used by far-right parties to demonize migrants and push for nationalistic policies.
She said nationalism is on the rampage while conspiracy theories threaten the order of the post-World War II world.
Read also: UN Report: Morocco is 5th Most Ready for E-Shopping in Africa
‘Remarkable’ changes in Africa
When asked at the end of the question and answer session to make a few remarks on important topics she felt were sidelined or not brought up at all in her speech and the questions that ensued, Albright was full of praise for Morocco and Africa.
Referring to the Benguerir-based King Mohammed VI Polytechnic University, which she visited prior to speaking in Marrakech, Albright said she was “blown away” by both the design of the campus and the aspiration of the university.
“It was fantastic,” she said, explaining that Morocco and the African continent need such higher learning institutions to accompany and foster the optimistic dynamics that the continent has witnessed of late.
“I think that what we should be asking ourselves is what is really happening in Africa, and I think it is remarkable in terms of a rising Africa and a new Africa.”
Staying clear of some of the pejorative and stereotyped descriptions of Africa, Albright spoke of a continent full of potential with a bright future.
She elaborated, “One of the things I think we need to talk about is the potential of Africa with a very young population that is now being educated and is in fact ready to play their role.”
For her, despite some persisting social issues on the continent, African countries should be granted the space to “play their roles both as nation-states and within the context of globalization.”
Rather than patronizing the continent, especially for the rising number of young Africans choosing to migrate, the West should take Africa’s concerns seriously and welcome it as “part of the solution to some of the issues.”
