Spain Officially Endorses Morocco’s Autonomy Plan for Western Sahara

Rabat – Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has today conveyed Spain’s official endorsement for Morocco’s Autonomy Plan as “the most serious and credible basis” to resolve the dispute over Western Sahara.

Sanchez made the announcement in a message addressed to King Mohammed VI today.

In the message, Sanchez recognized the importance of the Sahara issue for Morocco.

To this end, he stressed that “Spain considers the Moroccan autonomy initiative presented in 2007, as the most serious, realistic, and credible basis for resolving the dispute. Sanchez further described the extensive Moroccan efforts to work within the UN’s framework to find a peaceful solution to the decades-old conflict.

Sanchez commented on Spanish-Moroccan relations, saying that the “two countries are inextricably linked by affections, history, geography, interests and a shared friendship,” adding that he is “convinced that the destinies of the two peoples are also.”

“Our goal is to build a new relationship,” Sanchez wrote, adding this would be based on “transparency and permanent communication, mutual respect and the agreements signed by both parties and refraining from any unilateral action, living up to the importance of everything we share.”

The Spanish President wrote that his country “will act with the absolute transparency that corresponds to a great friend and ally,” likely in relation to mutual mistrust stemming from the diplomatic rift between the two countries in 2021. “I assure you that Spain will always fulfill its commitments and its word,” he wrote in his letter to Morocco’s monarch.

The statement from the Spanish government came after a flaring rift between Morocco and Spain. In April 2021, Spain stirred an unprecedented diplomatic relations with Spain after hosting the Polisario Front leader, Brahim Ghali.

Ghali traveled to Spain for hospitalization in secrecy. However, Morocco’s intelligence identified his presence in Spain.

Morocco responded to Spain’s decision to shelter Ghali without prior notification to Rabat, describing the move as against the partnership and friendship between the two countries.

In response to the breach of trust, Morocco recalled its Ambassador to Spain Karima Benyaich, who still did not return to her post until May 2021.

The crisis started showing signs of easing when the Spanish government sacked Arancha Gonzalez Laya, the former Minister of Foreign Affairs in an attempt to reconcile and restore normalcy to relations with Morocco.

The Spanish government has been also touting its partnership with Morocco, saying that there is fluid contact with the Moroccan government. Celebrating improvement of ties between the two countries, Spain has since vowed to continue to strengthen relations with Morocco and renew its bilateral partnership.

Spain’s announcement is another milestone in the three-decade old Sahara dossier, and a blow to Polisario separatists and their supporters.

Earlier this week, the US again indicated that its position on Western Sahara has become official US policy in its latest spending bill.

Biden’s administration made the position clear in the latest spending bill which US President Joe Biden signed on Tuesday.

Funds directed to Morocco are briefly mentioned under titles III and IV of the spending bill, with the note: “this Act shall be made available for assistance for Morocco.”

The funds appropriated under title III used to be reserved for US funding to “Western Sahara,” Morocco’s southern provinces.

However, this year’s bill only mentions Morocco, a move that constitutes another confirmation of the US administration’s position in favor of Morocco’s territorial integrity and sovereignty over Western Sahara.