Morocco,Spain hail their strategic partnership as excellent,Madrid reaffirms support to Autonomy Initiative

Morocco and Spain have hailed their future-oriented strategic partnership as excellent and reaffirmed their shared determination to further strengthen this privileged partnership,which constitutes a model of remarkable cooperation.

This came during a meeting in Madrid Thursday between the Spanish and Moroccan Foreign Ministers José Manuel Albares and Nasser Bourita.

Bourita visited Madrid,part of a European tour,in a bid to reinforce the strategic partnership between the two countries.

In a statement to the press following this meeting,Bourita and his Spanish peer welcomed the positive momentum in relations between Morocco and Spain,based on the principles of transparency,mutual confidence as well as permanent and constructive dialogue.

The two ministers,who hailed the excellent strategic partnership binding the two countries,recalled that this momentum is part of the new phase of bilateral relations,which have been given impetus by the meeting between King Mohammed VI and the Spanish Prime Minister,Pedro Sanchez,in April 2022.

They also stressed the importance of this meeting,which inaugurated a new stage in relations between the two Kingdoms,and gave fresh impetus to the establishment of a multi-dimensional partnership based on trust,ongoing dialogue,and mutual respect for commitments.

The two ministers renewed their commitment to address the various issues of common interest in a spirit of trust and consultation,with a view to further strengthening multi-sectoral and multi-dimensional bilateral cooperation,notably in its human,economic,trade,and security dimensions.

In this context,Bourita and Albares welcomed the numerous initiatives and visits by senior officials on both sides,which have helped to strengthen relations between the two countries.

The two officials also expressed their satisfaction with the significant progress made on joint projects,and with the agreement reached on preparations for the organization of the 2030 World Cup,an event set to positively impact all aspects of the privileged partnership between Morocco and Spain.

Touching on the Sahara issue,José Manuel Albares Bueno reaffirmed that for Spain the autonomy initiative is “the most serious,realistic and credible basis for the resolution” of the regional dispute over the Moroccan Sahara.

He recalled that Spain recognizes the importance of the Sahara issue for Morocco,as well as the Kingdom’s serious and credible efforts within the framework of the UN to find a mutually acceptable solution.

Through its firm and clear stance in favor of the autonomy plan,Spain is sending a strong and significant message of its commitment to align with the international momentum and contribute to the political process aimed at reaching a definitive,realistic,and compromise-based solution to the regional dispute over the Moroccan Sahara.

This confirmation of Spain’s position falls within the framework of the international momentum in support of Morocco’s sovereignty over its Sahara and the autonomy initiative as the only solution to this dispute.

The UN Security Council had welcomed in its latest resolution on the Sahara (2756) this international momentum and urged that “it be built upon.”