Spain recently became the epicenter of the COVID-19 outbreak in Europe, with more than 157,000 cases and nearly 16,000 deaths.
Rabat – King Mohammed VI held a telephone call with Spanish King Felipe VI to discuss the COVID-19 crisis.
The official Twitter account of the Spanish royal family, Casa de S.M. el Rey, announced the news today, April 10.
In the tweet, the Spanish royal palace announced that the two monarchs discussed the global COVID-19 health crisis, expressing Spanish-Moroccan solidarity in the fight against the pandemic.
El Rey ha conversado telefónicamente con el Rey de Marruecos, Mohamed VI, sobre la crisis sanitaria generada por el #COVID19 y la solidaridad internacional para hacer frente a la pandemia. @MAECgob @MarocDiplomatie @EmbEspanaRabat @Emb_Marruecos pic.twitter.com/3NhcEvifO5
— Casa de S.M. el Rey (@CasaReal) April 10, 2020
The diplomatic phone call comes after Spanish media El Mundo reported that Spain seized a shipment of medicines heading for Morocco to help the country fight COVID-19.
Spain’s government denied the allegations and the Spanish embassy in Morocco dismissed the information as “misleading.”
“The Spanish Embassy in the Kingdom of Morocco wishes to clarify that the information reported by several Moroccan media that Spain has seized drugs intended for export to Morocco is unfounded,” said the Spanish diplomatic representation.
Spain and Morocco maintain strong relations, with the countries’ officials regularly exchanging diplomatic visits.
In February, Spanish Foreign Affairs Minister Arancha Gonzalez Laya expressed satisfaction with the “exemplary” partnership between the two countries in different fields, including in the fight against irregular migration and terrorism.
The relations, however, witnessed a new turn after Morocco’s decision to redefine its maritime borders off the Atlantic coast, which sparked criticism from Spain’s far-right Vox party.
Morocco’s parliament passed the Laws 37-17 and 38-17 on the delimitation of its maritime borders in December 2019, and Spain was aware of the legislation.
Criticism, however, mounted from the VOX party, which is known for its stances against Morocco’s territorial integrity.
Despite the party’s attempts to put pressure on Spanish-Moroccan relations, diplomacy between the two countries has remained unwavering amid rumors of tension.
