Spanish FM : Morocco, Strategic Partner Is Number One Priority of Spain’s Foreign Policy

It is the High Level Meeting “that has had the most concrete results” in the history of the two countries, with a record number of “agreements”, noted Spain’s top diplomat, who was the guest, Thursday evening, of a program on Spanish public television (TVE).

Albares added that the conclusions of this bilateral meeting, the first since 2015, are the outcome of “many months of joint work”.

He said that a “roadmap” has been put in place with “a new dynamic and a new will”, which is “mutually beneficial” in important sectors such as the economy, migration management and also education and culture.

“Morocco is fundamental for Spain, and Spain for Morocco,” said Albares.

Spanish exports to Morocco have exceeded the 10 billion euro mark and the overall volume of bilateral trade has reached 20 billion euros, an unprecedented fact in economic relations between the two countries, he said.

He added that Morocco’s collaboration in the management of irregular migration flows has led to a 69% reduction in arrivals on the Spanish coast last January compared to January 2022, adding that bilateral cooperation in the fight against terrorism has been achieved in recent months by the dismantling of six jihadist cells.

All these data confirm that Morocco is a “strategic partner for Spain”, concluded Albares.

The 12th session of the Morocco-Spain High Level Meeting, which ended its proceedings on Thursday in Rabat, was marked by a Joint Statement, in which both parties express their commitment to perpetuate the excellent relations that have always linked them and reaffirm their willingness to enrich them permanently.

The two parties signed, on this occasion, several cooperation agreements covering several areas including migration management, tourism, infrastructure, water resources, environment, agriculture, vocational training, social security, transport, health security and research and development.