Albares: A privileged neighborly relationship with Morocco is crucial

Spain’s Minister of Foreign Affairs José Manuel Albares said “Spain must have the best relations with a neighbor like Morocco,” and that “this is a rule of foreign and state policy.”

Speaking before the Spanish senate, Albares highlighted that Morocco occupies a leading strategic position in the fight against terrorism, the dismantling of jihadist cells and the management of irregular immigration, in addition to its crucial role in the Spanish economic fabric, stressed the head of Spanish diplomacy.

“Spain, like any other country in the world, must maintain the best relations with its neighbors. This is a foreign policy norm”

In the Senate, Albares once highlighted the significant improvement in trade with Morocco. This trade has exceeded 21 billion euros, with over 17,000 Spanish companies exporting their products to Morocco, said the Spanish minister.

“Morocco is our third largest customer in the world outside the European Union.”

In particular, he stressed the importance of human relations between the two countries, highlighting the Moroccan community in Spain, which numbers almost a million members, as well as the presence of 17,000 Spaniards living in Morocco.

The Spanish head of diplomacy recalled the visit of the President of the Spanish government, Pedro Sánchez, to Morocco on February 21, as well as the High-Level Meeting (HLM) held the previous year.

The latter represented the first meeting of this level in eight years, and concluded with the signing of a record number of bilateral agreements between the two countries.

Indeed, since their reconciliation, Morocco and Spain have not only given a new dimension to their bilateral relations, but are now positioning themselves as leaders and role models in the implementation of projects and initiatives with a strong regional impact.

The two Kingdoms are seen as major players in building poles of peace, stability and security, and are committed to joint investment in forward-looking projects, particularly in Africa.

Cooperation between Morocco, Spain and Portugal to co-host the Football World Cup in 2030 represents an eloquent example of North-South collaboration that benefits both continents.