Rabat – Morocco and Spain concluded the high-level meeting through the signing of dozens of agreements to bolster economic and bilateral cooperation.
The memoranda of understanding (MoU) signed between the two countries includes agreements seeking to deepen cooperation in water management, the renewable energy sector, as well as migration management.
Morocco is among the significant partners contributing to efforts tackling irregular migration and fighting against human trafficking networks in Europe.
Last month, Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez emphasized Morocco’s contribution, stressing that “of all the migratory routes to Europe, the only one that has diminished is that from Morocco and Spain.”
Sanchez co-chaired the high-level meeting in Morocco with Morocco’s Head of Government Aziz Akhannouch.
Signing ceremony during the 12th high-level meeting between Morocco and Spain
The Moroccan and Spanish Ministry of Education also signed an MoU agreement for the creation of “bilingual Spanish sections” in the scientific sector.
One of the cooperation agreements signed between the two countries also concerns fighting climate change to advance sustainable development, as well as one seeking to develop agricultural coordination between the two counties.
The signing of the agreements marked the conclusion of the 12th high-level meeting, which comes eight years following the previous one held in Madrid in 2015.
The meeting served as an opportunity for the two countries to renew their determination to boost diplomatic relations at all levels.
During the meeting, the Spanish and Moroccan governments expressed commitment to avoid anything that could “offend the spheres of sovereignty” of the two countries.
“We have assumed a commitment to mutual respect, whereby in our speech and in our political practice we are going to avoid everything that we know offends the other party, especially as it affects our respective spheres of sovereignty,” Sanchez said.
Signing ceremony during the 12th high-level meeting between Morocco and Spain
During the meeting, Akhannouch also renewed Morocco’s gratitude regarding Spain’s new position over Western Sahara.
In his speech, Akhannouch recalled Spain’s decision to endorse Morocco’s Autonomy Plan as the most serious and credible basis to end the dispute over Western Sahara.
On the sidelines of the high-level meeting, Moroccan and Spanish officials exchanged views on different meetings to discuss ways to advance their cooperation.
Morocco’s Minister of Interior Abdelouafi Laftit discussed security cooperation with his counterpart Fernando Grande-Marlaska, who is part of a large delegation visiting Rabat to take part in the high-level meeting.
Minister of Higher Education Abdellatif Miraoui also held a meeting with Spanish Minister of Science Diana Morant Ripoll to consolidate bilateral cooperation in areas of common interest.
