Mamiky Motshwane
On March 18th 2022, Spain formally acknowledged Morocco’s Autonomy set up as the most serious and viable answer to ending the conflict that lasted for decades over Western Sahara.
Spain conjointly emphasized the significance of its bilateral relationship with Morocco, expressing certainty the Spanish and Moroccan governments each share a powerful inclination to create “a new relationship, supported by transparency that corresponds to an excellent friend and ally.”
The Spanish prime minister told the Moroccan King that it regarded the autonomy proposal for Western Sahara to be “serious, credible and realistic”, the Rabat government said, in a move expected to resolve the diplomatic dispute. “I assure you that Spain can perpetually keep its commitments and its word,” Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Salim said in a letter to King Muhammad VI.
Mr Jose Manuel Albares, the Spanish foreign minister, stated that on this day a new beginning is established in Spain’s relation with a strategic partner, Morocco. Mr Albares also mentioned that the new phase in the relationship between the two countries is based off of compliance with agreement, permanent communication, absence of unilateral actions, transparency and last but not least, mutual respect.
Although sudden, the Salim government’s recent tries to repair relations signal clearly that Spain would love to maneuver past the recent deterioration of diplomatic relations between Rabat and capital of Spain.
Commenting on Spain’s call, Samir Bennis, foreign policy analyst, mentioned on social media that Spain’s declaration reflects Morocco’s reinforced diplomatic policy in recent years. It is conjointly the fruit of Morocco’s “patience and belief in its simply cause, that enjoys the support of all the elements of the Moroccan folks, United Nations agency sacrificed dearly and precious so as to preserve Morocco’s territorial integrity,” he argued.
Morocco and Spain’s relationship fell into a new diplomatic crisis in 2021, after Spain decided to shelter separatist leader of the Polisario Front Brahim Ghali for hospitalization in Apr 2021.
Ghali landed in Spain in secrecy, however inside a number of days Morocco’s intelligence learned of the Polisario leader’s arrival within the European nation.
Spain’s actions greatly enraged Rabat, United Nations agency same that the move undermined Morocco’s trust in its long-run strategic ally. Since then, the Spanish government has created many tries to revive normality and positive diplomatic ties between the two countries.
The new stage between the two countries will be developed on a clear and ambitious roadmap to ensure the stability and sovereignty, territorial integrity and prosperity of our countries. It could be expected that from now on, Morocco’s relations with Spain, and Europe, will make a leap, which will result in the improvement of security, economic and social development.
