The president of the Port Authority of Algeciras Bay (APBA), Gerardo Landaluce, expressed to the press his wishes that the visit of the Spanish Minister of Foreign Affairs, José Manuel Albares, to Morocco scheduled in April would be an occasion for the reestablishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.
Gerardo Landaluce stated that the visit is an opportunity to strengthen economic and trade relations between the two countries, drawing attention to the damage caused by the suspension of the maritime routes between Morocco and Spain.
He noted that this situation has cost the port of Algeciras about ten million passengers, underlying that “The visit of Minister Albares in Rabat on 1ᵉʳ next April, will allow knowing the exact date of the resumption of maritime traffic, as well as the fate of the Operation Marhaba, canceled in 2020 and 2021.”
The official underlined that cutting the maritime link between the two countries “Is equivalent to interrupting the transit of some ten million passengers,” stating that “The restoration of full diplomatic relations in economic and commercial terms is very important.”
He also recalled that “Spain is the main trading partner of Morocco, and it exports about 8,000 million euros, a third of total Spanish exports to the African continent.”
The same spokesman explained that following the expected visit of the Spanish Minister of Foreign Affairs to Morocco, the exact dates of the maritime reconnection and the full vision of the future of relations will be determined, saying, “We have a lot at stake in economic and commercial terms.”
The official added that “the reestablishment of relations for practical purposes would mean reconnecting maritime passengers with the port of Tangier Med, suspended since March 2020 due to the epidemic and the diplomatic dispute.”
Spanish Minister of the Interior Fernando Grande-Marlaska Gómes has previously stated that the Ceuta and Melilla borders’ reopening hinges on health and security conditions and a mutual agreement between Morocco and Spain.
For the Spanish Minister of Foreign Affairs, some of the issues that will be addressed during talks with Moroccan officials are “sea crossings and commercial traffic,” noting that working plans will be established to implement the future “roadmap” of bilateral relations.
For his part, Juan Vivas, president of Sebta, hopes that the visit of Albares to Morocco will lead to the reopening of the borders closed for two years.
Despite the closure, trading volumes between Morocco and Spain surged in 2021 to reach a record high, with Morocco recording a trade deficit with Spain of about 2.2 billion euros and Spanish exports to Morocco increasing by 29.2%.
add your comment
Terms of publication : Not to offend the writer, people, sacred things, or attack religions or the divine self, and refrain from racist incitement and insults.