The Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccan Expatriates, Nasser Bourita, stated on December 14 in Rabat, that Morocco and Spain are working to implement a more ambitious vision aimed at strengthening bilateral, political, economic, and diplomatic relations between the two countries, referring to the roadmap adopted in the Joint Declaration of April 7, 2022.
During a press briefing following a meeting with his Spanish counterpart José Manuel Albares, Bourita underlined that “this vision is based on the attraction of Spanish economic operators in Morocco and the participation of Spain in all the visions and ambitions carried by His Majesty King Mohammed VI” in various areas.
The Moroccan official added that the Kingdom’s evaluation of the Joint Declaration of April 7, 2022, remains “very positive in terms of both the approach adopted to implement the commitments made, as well as the content concerning the creation of seven working groups which carry out all significant progress in their action, emphasizing the role of businessmen and political actors who work tirelessly in the spirit of partnership and mutual respect, enabling Spain to fully confirm its position as Morocco’s leading economic and commercial partner.
In this regard, the foreign minister noted that relations between Morocco and Spain have never reached this level of solidity and trust, recalling the meeting between His Majesty the King and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, which gave a new impetus to the dynamics of bilateral relations.
Bourita also recalled the message sent by the Sovereign to Sanchez on the occasion of his re-election as Head of the Spanish government.
This approach testifies to the particular attention paid by His Majesty the King to the promotion of bilateral cooperation in several areas, per the win-win principle, added the minister, explaining that these relations are based on mutual trust which is tangibly reflected in several fields, per the win-win principle.
In this regard, Bourita noted that bilateral cooperation in the areas of the fight against organized crime, terrorism, and irregular migration is “exemplary at the international level”, explaining that the actions undertaken by the two countries through their security services have a significant regional and geopolitical impact.
In the same context, the minister qualified the bilateral political dialogue as “constant and constructive”, referring to the Morocco-Spain-Portugal Joint Organization of the 2030 World Cup, which “encourages us to take a forward-looking vision to our common future, taking into consideration the history, geography and the will of the political leadership of the two countries.”
Bourita also stated that the talks he held with his Spanish counterpart focused on the Atlantic region as an essential element of bilateral cooperation, in accordance with the Royal Vision, welcoming Spain’s position which considers the Moroccan Autonomy Plan as the most serious, realistic, and credible basis for the resolution of the dispute over the Moroccan Sahara.