Rabat: Under the leadership of HM King Mohammed VI, Morocco has adopted a firm and fair stance on the Sahara issue, Head of Government Aziz Akhannouch said in an interview published Monday by the Spanish daily La Raz³n.
According to Agence Marocaine De Presse, Morocco’s approach is based on diversifying and strengthening partnerships, “placing at the center of these partnerships unambiguous support for our full and indivisible territorial sovereignty,” Akhannouch stated. He noted that the recent resolution on the Sahara adopted by the United Nations Security Council is a fair and equitable international decision that represents a decisive achievement for the final resolution of this long-standing artificial conflict.
This resolution holds all stakeholders accountable and offers them a historic and equitable opportunity to build a more harmonious and prosperous regional environment geared towards a future of increased development, peaceful coexistence, and economic and social prosperity in Southern regions, he argued.
For the Head of Government, this resolution paves the way for constructive dialogue with a view to reaching a consensus between all parties, without winners or losers, preserving the dignity of each, as stated by His Majesty King Mohammed VI in His latest Throne Speech.
What Royal diplomacy has stood for during 26 years in terms of wisdom, realism, and firmness at the national, regional, and international levels has made Morocco today a model of respect and credibility, and this is what has enabled this decisive diplomatic turning point on the Sahara issue, he said.
Akhannouch spoke in this regard of strategic convergence between Rabat and Madrid on the Moroccan Sahara, thanks to the clarity and consistency of the Spanish position, in line with Security Council resolutions. This stance is an essential trust factor between the two countries and a structuring factor for regional stability in Africa, the Mediterranean, and the Atlantic, he explained.
Addressing the current state of relations between Morocco and Spain, the Head of Government affirmed that the partnership between the two countries has enjoyed great stability and a particular dynamic in recent years, marked by trust and mutual respect.
“The political momentum generated by our two Heads of State and the depth of their ties have helped to anchor this partnership in time and clarity, paving the way for enhanced and structured cooperation,” he said.
Akhannouch also highlighted Spain as Morocco’s leading trading partner, and Morocco as Spain’s third largest customer outside the European Union, as well as Spain’s leading customer and supplier on the entire African continent. Some 800 Spanish companies are established in Morocco and nearly 12,000 Moroccan companies have economic relations with Spain, he said.
He then referred to the depth of human ties between the two Kingdoms, with nearly one million Moroccans residing in Spain and an active Spanish community in Morocco, reflecting the close intertwining of economic, social, and cultural spaces.
He in turn recalled the comprehensive and balanced approach adopted by Rabat and Madrid on the issue of migration, based on responsible cooperation with countries of origin and transit, and marked by effective joint actions in the fight against irregular migration and human trafficking networks.
This is further proven by the great success of the Morocco-Spain High-Level Meeting, held last week in Madrid with the participation of a strong ministerial delegation from both sides, which resulted in the signing of no fewer than 14 cooperation agreements in several areas, Akhannouch noted.
As part of a political momentum driven at the highest level by our two Heads of State, ties between the two countries are now based on explicit political parameters, stable dialogue, and a shared vision with a strong sense of responsibility, he concluded.