Morocco-Spain Relations Thaw, but Key Issues Remain Unresolved

Morocco and Spain embarked on a new stage of their relations on April 7, when Pedro Sanchez met King Mohammed VI in Rabat. The new roadmap for Hispano-Moroccan relations provided for the reactivation of the working group responsible for the delimitation of maritime spaces on the Atlantic facade, the "normalization of the movement of people and goods", the revival of economic, migratory or cultural cooperation between the two countries and the holding of the 12th high-level meeting.

Five months later, the assessment is mixed. Relations and cooperation between the two countries have been restored at all levels. The borders of Ceuta and Melilla have been reopened and the Marhaba Operation has been organized after two years of cancellation. Similarly, migration and police cooperation has been relaunched, which has helped reduce migration flows. However, two sensitive issues remain to be resolved: the delimitation of territorial waters and the installation of commercial customs offices in Ceuta and Melilla.

In addition, a new migration crisis has shaken the new relationship between the two countries. On June 24, Moroccan security forces prevented the assault of 1,500 sub-Saharan migrants on the Melilla border, killing 23 of them, according to Moroccan official sources. Morocco also fears that Alberto Núñez Feijóo, the leader of the Popular Party (PP), announced to replace Pedro Sanchez at the Moncloa, will not return to Spain’s position on the Sahara.

The director of the Spanish National Police, Francisco Pardo Piqueras, and the director general of national security and territorial surveillance (DGST), Abdellatif Hamouchi, met on Wednesday in Rabat. The two officials addressed issues related to the fight against terrorism, drug trafficking, immigration, migration cooperation and the preparation of the high-level meeting.