Spain must have “the best relations” with Morocco, given the multidimensional interests that the two countries share, said the Spanish Minister of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation, José Manuel Albares.
”We must maintain the best relations with Morocco, a country with which we share many challenges”underlined Albares, who was the guest, Wednesday evening, of a program on the Spanish television channel ”24 Horas”.
According to him, ”relations with Morocco must be a state policy implemented for mutual benefit”highlighting the depth of the ties uniting the two countries in all areas.
“More than 6,000 Spanish companies export products worth 12 billion euros to Morocco, 1,200 Spanish companies are established directly or through their subsidiaries in Morocco, cooperation in judicial and security matters makes it possible to dismantle the jihadist networks threatening the two countries and fighting against the mafias active in the trafficking of human beings, a million Moroccans live among us and contribute to the economic and social development of our country”, supported the head of Spanish diplomacy.
The Minister, among other things, welcomed the positive results of the management of the migration issue between Rabat and Madrid, specifying that during the first quarter of 2023, the arrivals of irregular migrants fell by 63% in the Canary Islands, while in Greece and Italy they increased by 95% and 300% respectively.
In this sense, Albares gave a positive assessment of the new stage started between the two countries a year ago, pointing out that this new stage is based on ”more solid principles”.
”The position of the Spanish government with regard to Morocco is very clear and does not suffer from any ambiguity. This position is expressed in the Declaration of 7 April 2022 and in the Joint Declaration sanctioning the 12th High Level Meeting”chained the minister.
”This position is based on collaboration, mutual respect, non-interference in internal affairs, the absence of unilateral acts and responsibility”, he concluded.
On the basis of the new roadmap, adopted on April 7, 2022 on the occasion of the visit of the President of the Spanish Government, Pedro Sanchez, to Morocco, at the invitation of King Mohammed VI, the two countries are committed, among other things, to deal with subjects of common interest in a “spirit of trust and consultation”, while reactivating the working groups created between the two countries to relaunch bilateral multisectoral cooperation.
In the Joint Declaration that sanctioned the work of their 12th High-Level Meeting, held on February 1 and 2 in Rabat, Morocco and Spain expressed their commitment to perpetuating the excellent relations that have always linked them and reaffirm their desire to constantly enrich them.
The two parties signed, on this occasion, several cooperation agreements relating to various fields, including the management of migration, tourism, infrastructure, water resources, the environment, agriculture, vocational training, social security, transport, health security and research and development.