Morocco-Spain on new tracks

Pedro Sánchez returned to Madrid, with the sense of accomplishment. Indeed, the visit of the President of the Spanish go­vernment, at the invitation of the King of Morocco, sealed the reconciliation between the two countries, after a crisis that lasted almost one year. Today, the slate is cleared, and a new page opens.

This trip was marked by the royal au­dience granted to the Spanish guest, which was crowned by the adoption of a joint declaration. During his press conference, Pedro Sánchez highlighted the King’s decisive and constructive role in ending the crisis between the two countries. Indeed, in this case, it is the Sovereign who personally and directly followed the dialogue process and the progress of the discussions.

The goal was not only to find a way out of this crisis but also to seize the opportu­nity to redefine the bases and the para­meters which govern these relations. The goal has been reached: the two countries, linked by history, geography, and common interests, are embarking on a new stage, based on the principles of transparency, permanent dialogue, and mutual respect.

This new momen­tum responds to the call of King Mo­hammed VI to “inaugurate an unpre­cedented stage in relations between the two countries”, and to the wish of King Felipe VI to “walk together to materia­lize this new relationship”. This new momentum also corresponds to Pedro Sánchez’s desire to “build a relation­ship on more solid foundations”. In this spirit, the two countries intend to establish a sustainable and ambitious roadmap.

• A common will to move forward: For Pedro Sánchez, Morocco and Spain not only share geographical proximity but they also have the common will to move forward. The goal is to promote economic recovery, modernize the productive fabric, and develop mutual investments. For the Spanish Prime Minister, Spain is a priority partner for Morocco both in terms of trade rela­tions and investments and vice versa. “We have common goals, particularly in the areas of energy transition, green hydrogen, and renewable energies with a view to ensuring the progress of the two countries, as well as the economic stability and prosperity of Africa and Europe”, insisted Sánchez during his press conference. The two countries can play a decisive role in terms of political stability, socio-economic development, and energy transition in both Europe and Africa.

• A committee responsible for imple­menting the content of the roadmap: The royal audience was an opportunity to define the roadmap on a sustainable and ambitious basis. It is this vision that will guide the new upcoming phase between the two countries. Pedro Sán­chez’s visit is an important moment to consolidate this roadmap and define the priorities for the next high-level meeting, better known by the generic term of the High Joint Commission which should meet before the end of this year. As a reminder, the High Joint Commission was supposed to meet in February 2021 but the political context at that time led to its postponement. The new roadmap includes 16 essential ele­ments, one of which relates to the esta­blishment of a committee responsible for implementing the provisions of the joint declaration. Such a committee will be designated by the King of Morocco and by the President of the Spanish Government.

• The autonomy plan as a central element: The essential element of the declaration lies in the fact that Spain recognizes the importance of the Sa­hara issue for Morocco as well as its serious and credible efforts within the framework of the United Nations to find a mutually acceptable solution. As such, Madrid considers the Moroccan autonomy initiative, presented in 2007, as the most serious, realistic, and cre­dible basis for resolving this dispute. A conflict created from scratch by Algeria which continues to feed and finance it against the right of Morocco to com­plete its territorial integrity.

• A place of choice given to the eco­nomic aspect: The idea is to reactivate sectoral cooperation in the areas of trade, energy, and industry in particular. In the field of the facilitation of econo­mic exchanges and links between the two countries, a meeting will be held soon.

Mohamed CHAOUI