Rabat – Morocco’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has expressed his appreciation for Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez’s official endorsement of Morocco’s Autonomy Plan for the Western Sahara conflict.
“The Kingdom of Morocco highly appreciates Spain’s positive positions and constructive commitments on the issue of the Moroccan Sahara, contained in the message addressed to King Mohammed VI by the President of the Spanish Government, Pedro Sánchez,” noted the ministry in a press release minutes after the Moroccan Royal cabinet broke the news.
Sanchez’s message provides a “clear and ambitious roadmap” to advance the bilateral relations between Morocco and Spain, the statement added.
The ministry recalled King Mohammed VI’s address to Spain, dating back to August 20, 2021. The address called for entering a new stage of bilateral relations defined by “trust, transparency, mutual consideration, and respect for commitments.”
Minister Sanchez echoed the Moroccan king’s message, saying that the “two countries are inextricably linked by affections, history, geography, interests and a shared friendship.”
Read Also: Spain Officially Endorses Morocco’s Autonomy Plan for Western Sahara
Aligned with the Moroccan aspirations, Spanish Minister of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation José Manuel Albares will visit Rabat at the end of March before the holy month of Ramadan.
The president of the Spanish government will also organize a visit to Morocco. The schedule is yet to be announced.
The Moroccan and Spanish statements occur during times of political rapprochement between the two neighboring countries.
In April 2021, Spain hosted the Secretary-General of the Polisario Front Brahim Ghali leading to rising tensions between the two countries. Later in February, the EU hosted Ghali at the EU-AU summit, which risked exacerbating tensions between Morocco and not only Spain but the European Union.
Soon after the summit, EU Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Spokesperson Peter Stano rejected the claims, noting that the African Union as the co-organizer of the event had invited Ghali.
Spanish support of the Moroccan Autonomy Plan for Western Sahara reflects a rising global trend of support for the North African country’s case. The trend is led by the EU, the USA, and now Spain.
Read Also: Timeline of Broken Trust Between Morocco and Spain Over Brahim Ghali
