Spain to Transfer Sahara Airspace Control to Morocco in Customs Deal

During his visit to Rabat on Wednesday, Pedro Sanchez conceded to Morocco the management of the airspace of the Sahara, according to diplomatic sources at El Confidencial Digital, specifying that this was the condition imposed by Mohammed VI to reopen the customs office in Melilla, closed since August 2018 and launch the customs office in Ceuta, as agreed in the new roadmap adopted in Rabat on April 7, 2022.

Spain is ready for the opening of these customs offices, but Morocco is dragging its feet on certain technical aspects, the same source points out, noting that the Moroccan ambassador to Madrid, Karima Benyaich, recently expressed her country’s commitment to open these customs offices soon. Pedro Sanchez confirmed that the obstacles on the Moroccan side to the opening of these posts are not of a political or legal nature, but technical.

Last June, the Moncloa had informed Morocco that Spain was going to suspend the transfer to Morocco of the management of the airspace of the Sahara. The Spanish government had acknowledged having engaged in negotiations with Rabat on this subject with a view to achieving greater security in the connections and technical cooperation. The decision to suspend the transfer was made due to the end of the legislative term and the start of the electoral process in the country.

The airspace of the Sahara has been managed for decades from the Canary Islands, as established by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) which controls air traffic in this area. The management is provided by ENAIRE, a Spanish public company attached to the Ministry of Transport. As the administering power, Spain is entitled to manage the airspace of the Sahara, but cannot cede it to Morocco, it is specified.