Spain’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation, José Manuel Albares, stated that Morocco and Spain, which maintain excellent relations, are now united by a “strategic and multidimensional” partnership.
“The strategic partnership between Morocco and Spain is now a multidimensional partnership encompassing all areas”, noted Albares in an exclusive interview with Maghreb Arab Presse (MAP), adding that this progress is thanks to the Roadmap adopted in April 2022 on the occasion of the visit of the Spanish Prime Minister, Pedro Sanchez, in Morocco, at the invitation of His Majesty King Mohammed VI.
“This partnership between the two countries is characterized above all by the trust that we place in each other as strategic partners with very high-level political and human relations which are developing even further,” noted the head of Spanish diplomacy, assuring that “these principles have made relations between Morocco and Spain one of the densest and richest in the world”.
In the same context, Albares stressed that Morocco is the priority of Spanish foreign policy, specifying that the two Kingdoms enjoy a win-win partnership where all the measures undertaken are for the benefit of both countries.
The Spanish official also referred to the exemplary cooperation between Morocco and Spain in the fight against human trafficking mafias countering terrorism, welcoming the continued evolution of trade relations and permanent political dialogue between the two countries.
“Our trade has literally skyrocketed, but most importantly, in recent years we have strengthened our political and human relations more than ever before, and this is the foundation on which we are building today this strategic partnership,” explained Albares.
On a similar note, the Spanish minister gave a “very positive” assessment of the Road Map between Morocco and Spain, stressing that “the results of the road map are obviously very positive; we have strengthened the strategic partnership and friendly relations between our two countries have reached a historic level, reflected on several aspects”.
At the economic level, Albares explained that trade between the two countries reached 20 billion euros, recalling that Spain is Morocco’s first customer and first supplier, while the Kingdom is Spain’s third trading partner outside the European Union (EU), following the United States and the United Kingdom.
Security and judicial cooperation in the fight against human trafficking and terrorism is another aspect of Morocco-Spain cooperation, which constitutes a model for other countries and which was also consolidated by this new road map, underlined the Spanish official.
In addition, “the human bonds uniting the two countries have been solidified”, stated Albares, noting that “more than a million Moroccans live in perfect integration in our country and contribute to the prosperity of Spain.”