From being almost strangers to seeing each other three times a week. Spanish, Moroccan heads of diplomacy intensify meetings resumption of the roadmap between the two countries. José Manuel Albares and Naser Burita reunited in Madrid this Monday, taking advantage of an air break from Morocco. According to diplomatic sources, the parties are working to advance the details of the next High Level Meeting (RAN) to be held in late January and early February. Pedro Sánchez and Alevi King VI. among many other topics. .
The bilateral relationship is described as “excellent” from Madrid. They point out that Burita has been to Spain only twice in the last three years, and both times in the past few days: last Thursday, for the Union for the Mediterranean meeting in Barcelona; and this Monday, when he takes advantage of an international trip, stopping in Spain to meet his Spanish colleague. They cite this diplomatic frenzy as an example of a good fit, versus the situation that existed at the beginning of last year when Rabat allowed. Mass attack on Moroccan citizens (up to 9,000) via the coastal region to the autonomous city of Ceuta. Morocco had previously withdrew its ambassador from Madrid to protest Spain’s medical care for Rabat’s enemy, Saharawi Polisario Front leader Brahim Ghali.
According to what was written in the bilateral agreement in April following the meeting between Pedro Sánchez and Mohamed VI to formalize Spain’s return to Western Sahara, the RAN (the first of seven years) was scheduled for this year; madrid now Defends the Rabat plan thus, the disputed region continues under a system of autonomy in Morocco awaiting decolonization. However, Morocco surprisingly announced that the meeting was postponed to next year without any explanation. The State Department assures that this delay does not mean that there are any problems with the joint roadmap and that it is just a matter of the agenda.
José Manuel Albares insists that the agreement of 7 April has been fulfilled item by item. The predictable reopening of customs in Melilla, which was unilaterally closed in 2018, and the creation of a new customs in Ceuta, which has not existed until now, stand out. When it will be done will be determined at the technical meeting to be held this week.
The truth is that Burita is by far the foreign minister Albares spoke with the most, but little has been revealed about the details of those talks. The Spanish minister also met with his Moroccan colleague, for example, on 22 November for the Alliance of Civilizations forum in Fez (Morocco). They both held 24 November working breakfast Ahead of the Union for the Mediterranean (UPM) ministerial forum in Barcelona. In October, both appeared in front of the media jointly at the United Nations Assembly.
It is not yet clear whether these customs will only be “regional customs”, that is, if they will have a limited volume of trade goods that can pass through them. According to analysts consulted by this newspaper, Morocco does not want Ceuta and Melilla to compete with the Tanger Med international megaport. “it is calledportersThose who entered Spain to purchase goods that they later resold in Morocco and which are an important part of the economy of the Spanish autonomous cities and also key on the Moroccan side.