Spain Affirms Sahara Airspace Control Will Not Be Ceded to Morocco

"There will be no transfer. I want to be very clear and firm, because it is not planned in the agreement (signed by Spain and Morocco in April 2022). I spoke with the Minister of Foreign Affairs today (Thursday) and he told me that under no circumstances will there be a transfer of airspace. What the two governments are discussing is improving the management of airspaces," Torres said at a press conference in Fuerteventura.

In a written response to the question of Canarian senator Fernando Clavijo, the Spanish Executive had acknowledged that negotiations have been engaged with Rabat on the management of the airspaces of the Sahara, currently administered by Spain from the Canary Islands. The President of the Canary Islands recalled that these negotiations are in line with point 7 of the joint declaration of last April between Spain and Morocco.

Ángel Víctor Torres did not fail to insist on the need to maintain a fluid relationship with Morocco based on "transparency", without making "unilateral decisions", "without distorting things and without triggering alarm between the Spanish and Moroccan governments". The Canarian president has just returned from an official visit to Morocco, where he went to Rabat and Casablanca.

The fallout from this trip is good in terms of strengthening air and maritime links between the two countries, Torres assured, specifying that three airlines will serve Gran Canaria (2) and Lanzarote (1) and a ferry line could be launched between Tarfaya and Fuerteventura.