Rabat – King Mohamed VI hosted Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez for an Iftar meal in his royal residence in Sale on Thursday.
Crown Prince Moulay El Hassan, Prince Moulay Rachid, Head of Government Aziz Akhannouch, Advisor to the King Fouad Ali El Himma, and Minister of Foreign Affairs Nasser Bourita were also in attendance.
The Spanish Minister of Foreign Affairs Jose Manuel Albares and the Spanish Ambassador to Rabat Ricardo Diez-Hochleitner also attended as part of the Spanish delegation.
Morocco’s Head of Government Akhannouch greeted his Spanish counterpart on Thursday upon his arrival at Rabat-Sale airport.
“The visit that Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez is currently engaged in in our country presents an opportunity to affirm the strengths of the historic, political, economic, and cultural ties that link our kingdoms,” Akhannouch said on a Facebook post.
Sanchez’s visit comes as a response to the king’s invitation during a phone call on March 31st, and marks the end of a diplomatic crisis between Rabat and Madrid.
Spain’s government officially voiced its support for Morocco’s autonomy plan for the Sahara, dubbing it the most credible and serious effort to resolve the dispute.
The Spanish support of Morocco’s autonomy plan marked the end of diplomatic tensions between the countries over the past year, and paved the way for a new phase of relations between the two countries.
Earlier today, Sanchez reaffirmed his country’s position during a meeting with the king, where they also agreed to work on improving bilateral ties between Rabat and Madrid and establish a roadmap for working together in the future.
Read Also: Sanchez Renews Spanish Support for Morocco’s Autonomy Plan in Meeting with King Mohammed VI
In addition to Sanchez’s meetings with King Mohamed VI, Spain’s Foreign Affairs Minister Jose Manuel Albares is expected to hold talks with his Moroccan counterpart Nasser Bourita during the visit.
Albares previously expressed optimism on ties between the two countries, seeing “a new stage” of relations between the two.
