Morocco’s Military Buildup Raises Concerns for Spain’s Security

Morocco has seen its position as a regional power strengthened, after the American decision to recognize its sovereignty over Western Sahara. This situation would constitute a threat to Spain, according to Guillem Colom, Guillermo Pulido and Mario Guillamó, authors of a report titled "Morocco, the Strait of Gibraltar and the military threat against Spain", published by the Institute for Security and Culture (ISC).

According to the authors, the territorial integrity of Spain would be threatened, and the gesture of the Trump administration reinforces not only the relations between the United States and Morocco, but also Morocco’s position on the Sahara. For the latter, the kingdom will continue to work for a new delimitation of the exclusive economic zone. "Beyond fishing, a no less important aspect, we find the ability to challenge the sovereignty of the volcanic mountains of the Canary Islands archipelago which are submerged and rich in metals such as tellurium, cobalt and lead, highlighting the Tropic mountain," note the authors of the document.

With this American support, Morocco is also strengthening its political foothold to fully assume a leadership role in the region and on the continent, the authors of the report say, recalling that 15 African countries have already opened a consulate in Dakhla. In terms of military security, Morocco has embarked on an arms race, surpassing Algeria whose army was the most powerful in the Maghreb.

As a result, Spain, the authors point out, is facing a double security challenge, namely: the management of the possible effects of the conflict between Morocco and Algeria on the entire Gibraltar Strait region on the one hand, and the territorial integrity after Morocco’s control over Western Sahara on the other.

Moreover, the authors do not overlook the fact that Morocco "has the dream of continuing to implement a territorial expansion agenda, which would imply controlling Ceuta and Melilla," recalling the words of the head of government, Saadeddine El Othmani, who declared: "The day will come when we will reopen the issue of Ceuta and Melilla, Moroccan territories like the Sahara."