Spain and Morocco want to put behind them their differences on the migration issue

Moroccan Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch and his Spanish counterpart Pedro Sanchez in Rabat on February 2, 2023. AFP - -

Text by: RFI Follow

2 mins

The heads of the Spanish and Moroccan governments met on Thursday February 2 in Rabat, surrounded by a large delegation of around ten ministers from both sides.

After several complicated years, particularly around the migration issue, the two kingdoms have shown their desire to turn the page.

Advertising

Read more

With our correspondent in Rabat,

Victor Mauriat

It is with a broad smile that Pedro Sanchez, the Spanish Prime Minister and Aziz Akhannouch his Moroccan counterpart initialed the 24 agreements in various fields ranging from energy to the fight against terrorism via education.

Long at the heart of tensions between the two countries, the migration issue now seems outdated and according to Pedro Sanchez, borders will once again become a commercial issue.

“ 

Very important agreements

 ”

" 

We have signed two very important agreements on migration management which aim to open legal migration paths,

" said the Spanish Prime Minister.

We have taken another step towards normalizing the movement of people and goods, particularly at the level of

Ceuta and Melilla

where the borders will open in an orderly and progressive manner

”.

For its part, Morocco has not put its territorial aims on the two Spanish enclaves back on the table.

On the contrary Aziz Akhannouch spoke of appeasement and especially of the future.

“Today, economic relations between the two countries are turning a corner.

We are moving from a one-off relationship to a structural relationship, which opens up new projects for the future that will have positive repercussions for the two countries in several strategic areas,” he said. 

Bilingual classes

On a cultural level, the rapprochement between the two countries will be illustrated at school.

From the start of the next school year, the Cherifian kingdom will have its first bilingual classes where students will speak Arabic and Spanish. 

►Also read

: Spain: Madrid welcomes a quarter drop in illegal immigration in one year

Newsletter

Receive all the international news directly in your mailbox

I subscribe

Follow all the international news by downloading the RFI application

  • Spain

  • Morocco

  • pedro sanchez

  • Diplomacy

  • International Migrations

  • Cooperation and Development

  • Terrorism