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Rabat – Spain has said it is satisfied with the positive results that have been achieved since it agreed to a “new roadmap” to improve relations with Morocco.
“We can congratulate ourselves because this new step proves to be very positive, “ Spain’s government spokeswoman Isabel Rodriquez told Spanish television channel TVE on Monday, adding that Madrid and Rabat have welcomed the positive results of the new roadmap, which “made possible progress on many bilateral issues of common interest.”
Morocco and Spain announced the new roadmap to improve bilateral relations after their long-standing “strategic partnership” took a blow in April 2021 when Madrid hosted Polisario leader Brahim Ghali.
With Morocco describing Spain’s Ghali gaffe as a betrayal and an unacceptable breach of the reciprocity principle, relations between the two countries experienced an unprecedented low for over a year.
Following months of behind-the-scenes dialogue and negotiations, Morocco agreed to reconcile with its European ally after Spain announced its endorsement of the Moroccan Autonomy Plan for Western Sahara.
The official endorsement, which described the Moroccan plan as the most serious and credible proposal to end the Sahara dispute, was followed by a visit to Morocco of Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez.
Traveling to the North African country in April, Sanchez met with King Mohammed VI and made a commitment to opening a “new chapter” of diplomatic relations based on unwavering reciprocity and transparency.
Following their meeting, the Moroccan monarch and the Spanish head of government issued a joint declaration announcing a “new roadmap” aimed at transcending the Ghali incident to lay the ground for a new friendship based on mutual trust and support for each other’s strategic interests.
Invoking the spirit of the joint declaration in her TVE appearance, Rodriguez stressed that Spain is committed to moving forward in strengthening relations with Morocco and consolidating a mutually win-win partnership.
She said, “We continue to progress in the roadmap that was established with Morocco to improve the neighborhood relationship, particularly progress on issues important to our countries, such as immigration, economy, and security.”
