Morocco and Spain strengthen ties with a new HLM
Morocco and Spain continue to strengthen their close diplomatic ties, promoting intense cooperation in all areas and demonstrating that they are strategic allies on both sides of the Mediterranean.
This trend is demonstrated by the announcement of a new High-Level Meeting (HLM) to be held by both nations in Madrid on 4 December, as officially confirmed by both parties.
The meeting will be held within the framework of the ‘excellent bilateral relations’ between the two countries, according to the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Close ties at the highest level between Morocco and Spain
This is the thirteenth summit at the highest level between the two strategic allies. The last one took place in Rabat in February 2023 following an invitation from King Mohammed VI to a Spanish delegation led by Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez.
The 2023 HLM in Rabat was held to strengthen ties and promote various strategic agreements in different sectors, such as the economy, technology, trade, defence, etc., following the satisfactory development of diplomatic relations between the two nations after Pedro Sánchez's government announced its support for Morocco's autonomy plan for Western Sahara as the most serious, credible and realistic option for resolving the Sahrawi dispute, which has been ongoing for five decades since the end of the Spanish colonial era.
Spain's support was very well received by Morocco, as the issue of Western Sahara is linked to the defence of its territorial integrity, considering the territory to be part of its southern provinces. In 2007, the Moroccan kingdom presented an autonomy plan that would grant the Sahrawis a high degree of self-government, leaving foreign and defence policy in the hands of the North African country, all in accordance with United Nations (UN) resolutions. At the end of October, the UN Security Council endorsed the Moroccan initiative as the most solid basis for reaching an agreement between the opposing parties, namely Morocco, with its intention to integrate the Sahrawi territory into the Moroccan state, and the Polisario Front and the so-called Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR), which, supported by Algeria, seek to hold a referendum on independence for the Sahrawi people.
Morocco gained the support of more than 100 countries for its proposal for autonomy, while the opposition side has less international backing. These parties will have to reach an agreement in talks within the framework of the United Nations, which has already warned that the Moroccan plan is the most realistic basis for negotiations to reach a final agreement.
Among the countries supporting Morocco is Spain, which has fostered excellent diplomatic relations between the two nations. After Pedro Sánchez's government informed the Moroccan kingdom of its decision to support it on the issue of Western Sahara in March 2022, a formal invitation was extended by King Mohammed VI to the Spanish political leader to hold a meeting in Rabat to set out a roadmap for the future relationship between the two countries.
This plan led to the High-Level Meeting held in February 2023 in Rabat, which resulted in important agreements in various areas, highly beneficial to both nations.
Next High-Level Meeting
Now comes the new HLM, the thirteenth, this time in Madrid, which will serve to further strengthen the diplomatic ties between the two countries and to continue sealing various agreements beneficial to both parties.
Specifically, before the summit scheduled for 4 December, there will be an important business meeting on 3 December to reach various economic and trade agreements that will further promote investment and commercial and economic exchanges between the two nations.
It should be remembered that the North African country is a very important economic ally for Spain, being its main partner in Africa and one of the most important worldwide, with a trade volume exceeding 22.7 billion euros. Spain is Morocco's leading trading partner, both within and outside the European Union (EU), and the main destination for its exports within the EU. Meanwhile, Morocco is Spain's main trading partner in Africa and its seventh largest partner worldwide. The relationship is characterised by intense trade in various sectors, including automotive, textiles, agri-food and energy. Spanish exports to the Kingdom of Morocco include machinery, vehicles, chemicals, food and textiles, while Spain imports products such as textiles, fish, fruit, vegetables and electrical equipment from Morocco.
At the last HLM in Rabat in February 2023, the delegations headed by Aziz Akhannouch, head of the Moroccan government, and the Spanish Prime Minister, Pedro Sánchez, reached various agreements that were analysed in the proposed roadmap agreed by King Mohammed VI and Pedro Sánchez himself. Spain and Morocco reached various agreements on the fight against terrorism (which has always enjoyed very close cooperation) and against irregular migration, on cultural and technological cooperation, on trade exchanges in various sectors and on an economic boost between the two nations with a financial protocol worth €800 million to support initiatives related to infrastructure, water resources, clean energy and social services.
The 13th High-Level Meeting in Madrid is expected to further improve relations at all levels between Morocco and Spain and lead to closer cooperation in political, economic and trade matters.
