Spain Seeks to Strengthen Diplomatic Ties with Morocco, Minister Says

"After a very deep crisis with Morocco, we are building a 21st century relationship," the Spanish minister said at a press conference with his German counterpart, Annalena Baerbock. And he added: "Building a solid and rich relationship with Morocco takes time and discretion... The important thing is the final result that will allow us to avoid future crises".

Like Spain, Germany has also gone through a serious diplomatic crisis with Morocco, which had led the kingdom to recall its ambassador in Berlin, as it had done with its ambassador in Madrid. But in both cases, the crisis with Morocco was born out of the refusal to recognize the kingdom’s sovereignty over the Sahara, as the United States did under Trump in December 2020.

With Germany, tensions have eased with the arrival of the new government. Rabat has positively evaluated the statement by the German Ministry of Foreign Affairs which stressed that the Moroccan autonomy plan for the Sahara presented in 2007 is an "important contribution" to the resolution of the conflict and a "just, lasting and acceptable" solution for all parties.

"It is in the European and Moroccan interest to continue the good relations as was the case until March of last year," Baerbock also argued, calling on the two parties to the Sahara conflict to "seek an acceptable solution for all within the framework of the United Nations." A position also defended by Spain.