Morocco Set to Take Control of Western Sahara Airspace from Spain

Morocco and Spain had agreed to renegotiate "the management of the airspace" of the Sahara in the joint declaration of April 7, marking the beginning of the new stage in their relations. Until now, the control of the airspace over the Sahara was managed by Spain from the Canary Islands, and Rabat was in charge of the control of the airports. Now, Morocco wants to review this mechanism and take exclusive control of the management of the airspace of the Sahara, reports Libertad Digital.

Sanchez is ready to negotiate towards this change and the negotiations should be concluded during the High-Level Meeting that started this Wednesday. But if Rabat managed to get its way, it would be the only one to control the transport to Europe, by sea via the Canary Islands, of oil and natural gas from Nigeria. A priority project for the EU, NATO and the United States.

Morocco had delimited its border with the Canary Islands beyond 200 miles from the exclusive economic zone, encroaching on Spanish territory, according to the Canary authorities. In this strip of sea are some of the very valuable underwater deposits such as the materials used in the manufacture of solar panels. Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares supports that Spain will not cede control of the airspace of the Sahara, but Morocco insists on its initiative.

Key issues such as the delimitation of maritime borders with the Canary Islands, police cooperation in the fight against terrorism and illegal immigration, the "orderly and progressive" reopening of land borders in Ceuta and Melilla, not to mention commercial customs in the two autonomous cities, will be discussed at this summit.