Pedro Sanchez to visit Morocco for Socialist International meeting amid growing bilateral ties

Spanish media outlets have reported that Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, who is also the Secretary General of the Spanish Socialist Workers’ Party (PSOE), will visit Morocco next Saturday to chair a meeting of the Socialist International, which will be held in Rabat.

According to informed sources speaking to the Spanish news agency EFE, the meeting will also be chaired by the first secretary of Morocco’s Union of Socialist Forces (USFP), Idriss Lachgar.

Sánchez, who was elected President of the Socialist International in 2022, is expected to deliver a speech during the event.

The three-day event will take place from Friday, December 20, to Sunday, December 22. The Socialist International is a global alliance of political groups that are socialist, labor, or social democratic in nature, as well as unions that embrace this ideology. The organization was re-established in its current form in 1951, and, since 2006, has included about 132 political parties.

Discussions for the Socialist International meetings began on Tuesday at the headquarters of the Union of Socialist Forces in Rabat, with the participation of 200 individuals.

Key issues on the agenda include peace and security in Africa, recent floods across the continent, the ongoing conflict between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo, and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. One of the topics to be addressed during these meetings is also the empowerment of women in North Africa and the Middle East.

In his remarks during the ongoing meetings, Idriss Lachgar, the first secretary of the USFP, emphasized that “the Moroccan-African partnership being discussed today is one of the cornerstones of Morocco’s foreign policy.” He added that this policy “is not new but has deep historical roots.”

Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares confirmed earlier this week that Morocco and Spain are currently experiencing “the best moment in their bilateral relations.”

He stated before the Spanish Parliament that “our relationship with Morocco is vital and beneficial for both countries,” reiterating that security cooperation between the two nations is “crucial” in combating human trafficking networks and dismantling terrorist cells.

Albares also highlighted the positive results of the roadmap between Morocco and Spain, calling it “entirely positive and highly beneficial” for both countries. He further emphasized the excellence of their economic relations, noting that Morocco is one of Spain’s main trade partners.

Last year, trade between the two countries surpassed 21 billion euros, with around 17,000 Spanish companies exporting products to Morocco, and over 4,000 Spanish companies operating within the kingdom.

While all eyes are on this visit, which is seen as an opportunity to strengthen relations between Spain and Morocco, the Polisario Front is on edge.

There are concerns that the growing rapprochement between the Moroccan and Spanish socialist parties could lead to the expulsion of the Polisario’s representation from the Socialist International.