And underwater tunnel connecting both shores of the Strait of Gibraltar. A project that has been talking about in the media for decades, but has never come to fruition. In recent weeks, the hypothetical tunnel has reappeared in the headlines of the Spanish and Moroccan media. The good harmony between neighboring countries, after the diplomatic crisis of 2021, has led to speculation about this project again. This new relationship has also resulted in the recent announcement of the integration of Morocco in the candidacy of Spain and Portugal to house the 2030 Men’s Soccer World Cup.
This Saturday marks one year of the letter from Pedro Sanchez a Mohamed VI in which he defined the Moroccan autonomy plan for the Occidental Sahara as “the most serious, realistic and credible basis for resolving differences”. A year of reconciliation that has managed to erase and leave behind the worst diplomatic crisis in two decades between Spain and Morocco. A time that has also served to stage, in each visit of Spanish representatives to the Maghreb country, the turn of Moncloa over the Sahara. Since that letter, Sánchez has traveled to Rabat twice and it is expected that he will return soon to hold another meeting with Mohamed VI. In addition, the Spanish and Moroccan foreign ministers have met up to eight times in one year.
In Moroccothis new position of the Spanish Government has been seen as a major breakthrough, especially due to the historical weight that Spain has on the former colony. Amin Ater, editor-in-chief of Tel Quel magazine, one of the most popular in Morocco, explains that “things are clearer now.” He also defends that Sánchez’s statement “it was a test of will and a great step to cement relations between the two countries”. According to the journalist, the relationship with Spain is very valuable because of the weight it has in Europe, especially in the current context of tension between Rabat and Paris. In addition, he defends that Morocco is diversifying and expanding its ties with the countries of South America and that it is important to have Spain as a partner.
Praise for the Spanish position
Other Moroccan media, such as the digital Yabiladi, explain that “the Spanish government continues to resist internal and external pressures“, in reference to the reluctance of Algeria and Podemos to Sánchez’s support for the autonomy plan. The Moroccan government has defended on several occasions that bilateral relations between countries are experiencing a new stage thanks to Spanish support for the Rabat plans. Precisely, during Sánchez’s visit to Rabat, in February, during the High Level Meetingthe President of the Executive, Aziz Akhannouchstated that “Spain has had courage and historical realism and it is something that we highly praise.”
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An increase in financing and facilities for Spanish companies that want to invest in Morocco was announced at the summit. The North African country also opened the doors for these companies to play a leading role in future strategic projects, such as the renovation of the red ferroviaria. A package of agreements that seeks to expand mutual interests, as a cushion of interests, to avoid future disagreements. Both countries conspired to continue deepening the bilateral relationship and put aside “everything we know that offends the other partyespecially, in what affects our respective spheres of sovereignty“, in the words of Sánchez. Another of the pillars is migration cooperation, which has resulted in a reduction in arrivals in Spain, but an increase in arrests and forced transfers of migrants by the Moroccan authorities.
The other side of the coin is the open crisis between Madrid and Algiers because of the support of the Spanish Executive to the Moroccan autonomy plan for Western Sahara. At the moment, relations between the two countries are frozen and Algeria continues to block Spanish products and companies. Until now, gas shipments have not been affectedAlthough Algiers has prioritized strengthening ties with Italy to turn the transalpine country into the main Algerian gas hub with the European continent.