Reaffirming Strategic Ties
Political analysts and university professors assert that Morocco has sent multiple messages to Spain through the clarifications made by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs regarding the recent developments in Moroccan-Spanish relations. Chief among these messages is a reminder of the joint declaration made in 2022 and a firm rejection of the idea of using Morocco as a political pawn in Spain's electoral landscape. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, along with Moroccans living abroad, issued a statement highlighting the increasing attacks by Spanish right-wing parties on Morocco and its institutions, as well as attempts to assign blame to the kingdom for the mass influx of migrants to the occupied city of Ceuta at the end of July.
Abbas El Wardy, a political analyst and professor of public law at Mohammed V University in Rabat, noted that the statement referred to several strategic points, particularly the historical geopolitical relationship with Spain as a neighboring country. He emphasized that Morocco reminded Spain of the commitments established in the agreement signed in the presence of His Majesty the King and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, which aimed at fostering a relationship based on trust, cooperation, and the diplomatic management of disagreements. Another crucial aspect of the statement is Morocco's unwillingness to accept the status quo, reaffirming the necessity of framing relations in a respectful diplomatic context, emphasizing state-to-state interactions.
El Wardy further stressed that Morocco's official response firmly rejects any attempts to undermine the relationship in a politically charged electoral context. He believes that given the rapid developments in the Spanish political arena following the crisis related to the influx of migrants into Ceuta, this Moroccan response comes after a long and measured period of contemplation. The analyst concluded that Morocco's approach reflects its commitment to preserving the relationship with a partner like Spain while simultaneously asserting its status as an institutional state, with the monarchy at its forefront, highlighting the diverse areas of mutual interest between the two nations. Ultimately, he asserted that Morocco has not reached a point of conflict with Spain, but it is essential to remind both parties of the operational, historical, institutional, and strategic frameworks that should underpin Moroccan-Spanish relations to ensure they remain robust and strategic.
Rejecting Political Manipulation
Mohamed Nashtawi, a university professor and head of the Ibn Rushd Center for Strategic Studies and Policy Analysis, articulated that Morocco's official response to the repercussions of the mass migration crisis towards the occupied city of Ceuta in Spain adopted a calm and credible approach based on presenting facts and data related to economic and security aspects, as well as immigration, to counter the misleading narratives propagated by the media and most Spanish political parties. However, Nashtawi pointed out that this approach is also firm at its core, asserting that Morocco does not accept being treated as an electoral tool or a scapegoat in internal political conflicts. He emphasized that Morocco’s response is shaped by its long-standing awareness of the complexity of its relations with Spain, which are rooted in a significant historical legacy and characterized by mutual sensitivities and caution.
Nashtawi went on to clarify that Morocco distances itself from becoming a subject of competition between the left and right, or between populists and extremists, fully aware that any Spanish political leader, regardless of their orientation, will find themselves confronting a changing reality that is not dictated by slogans or outbursts but rather by a neighboring Morocco that is a vital economic partner. He noted that Spain stands as Morocco's primary economic partner, with Spanish exports to Morocco exceeding $12 billion. The Moroccan statement comes at a time when Spain is playing its cards in front of Morocco, referencing projects like granting citizenship to Sahrawis and rejuvenating relations with Algeria. He underscored that the joint announcement made on April 7, 2022, following the meeting between King Mohammed VI and the Spanish Prime Minister, is beginning to weaken under the pressures placed on the Spanish government to hold Morocco accountable for the events in Ceuta, without any substantiated evidence linking the kingdom to those incidents. The professor concluded that this statement serves to recalibrate the relations back to their foundational principles, reaffirming that Morocco is entirely uninvolved in the internal dynamics of Spain and refrains from being a catalyst in the conflict between Spanish socialists and right-wing factions.
As reported by hespress.com.
