Spain and Morocco Set to Resume Maritime Border Talks After Diplomatic Thaw

This meeting convened by the Spanish Minister of Foreign Affairs, José Manuel Albares, will bring together the two parties and will allow "to prepare the various issues that will be addressed during the meeting of the Working Group on the delimitation of maritime spaces on the Spain-Morocco Atlantic facade," reports the Spanish news agency EFE.

These negotiations were suspended following the diplomatic disagreement between Morocco and Spain. But with the resumption of relations, it seems obvious that the issue of the demarcation of the maritime border will be put back on the table, especially since it remains a major concern for the Spanish authorities who were surprised when in 2021, the Moroccan government promulgated two laws that extend the country’s control over 12 miles for the territorial sea and 24 miles for the contiguous zone, also establishing 200 miles for the exclusive economic zone and a maximum of 350 miles for the continental shelf.

José Manuel Albares indicated that the Minister of Public Administrations, Justice and Security of the Government of the Canary Islands, Julio Pérez, will be present at this meeting. The two parties hope to make rapid progress on this issue.