Former Spanish Foreign Minister Urges Strong Ties with Morocco Amid Sahara Dispute

Questioned about the change in Spain’s position on the Sahara that occurred last March, which put an end to the crisis with Morocco and opened another one with Algeria, Arancha Gonzales Laya asked the Spanish authorities to "maintain the best relations with Morocco, Algeria, Mauritania who are in a disastrous situation".

"I have personally always worked for the resolution of conflicts such as that of the Western Sahara within the framework of international law and under the aegis of the United Nations. In this case, only the UN Secretary-General’s special envoy can help the parties find a lasting solution to the conflict," she said to El Periódico.

Laya stressed the urgency of working for peace in the Sahel, a region that "is burning on all sides". "We must help each other in a very broad vision, not only for security, but also for economic development, the fight against terrorism, climate change. This requires a lot of finesse," she emphasized.

The former Minister of Foreign Affairs also addressed the challenges of Spain’s rotating presidency starting next year. During this term, Spain should "strengthen the EU and [...] invest in partnerships with third countries," and due to its geographical situation, "pay more attention to Africa," she analyzed.