Spain, Morocco hold two discreet talks on Sahara airspace management

Management of the Western Sahara airspace is discreetly being negotiated between representatives of the Spanish Government and Morocco, as two meetings pertaining to the issue have been held.

According to Spanish news outlet Ok Diario, quoting sources within the Iberian country’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, negotiations “focused on technical cooperation and security details in airspace management.”

These talks have been facilitated by a joint working group, states the same source.

The Spanish government previously hinted at ongoing negotiations with Morocco regarding the Sahara’s airspace management, in line with the Joint Declaration of April 7, 2020, the roadmap of renewed relations between Spain and Morocco.

Per the seventh point of the joint declaration, it explicitly stated that “they will initiate a conversation about airspace management.”

The government briefly responded to the Congress of Deputies regarding this matter, stating that “discussions with Morocco in this area had begun.”

It further explained that “these discussions were limited to airspace management and coordination between both parties to achieve greater security in connections and technical cooperation.”

Morocco requires that Spain cease managing airspace over the Sahara, currently administered from the Canary Islands, a pending matter that is progressing in negotiations with the Sánchez government, noted the same source.

Last Friday, Spanish news outlet El Confidencial Digital also reported that Sánchez unblocked the transfer to Morocco of the management of the airspace over its Sahara, during his visit to Rabat.

“This is the conditions that Morocco has set for precisely reopening the customs in Ceuta and Melilla,” according to the said source.

Last January, Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares hinted at the seventh point of the joint declaration, acknowledging “talks about improving management” on this matter, according to El Periódico de España.