Rabat and Madrid Sign Agreements to Strengthen Strategic Partnership Between the Two Countries
In a bid to enhance the strategic partnership between Morocco and Spain, Aziz Akhannouch, the Head of Government, alongside Pedro Sánchez, the Spanish Prime Minister, presided over the signing of several agreements and memorandums of understanding today at the Moncloa Palace, during the thirteenth high-level meeting between the two countries. This step reflects the aspirations of both nations to strengthen bilateral ties and solidify mutual trust and ongoing coordination in areas of common interest.
Nasser Bourita, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation, and Moroccans Living Abroad, representing Morocco, and José Manuel Albares, the Spanish Foreign Minister, signed a memorandum of understanding on feminist foreign policy, another on diplomatic training, and a memorandum on the mobility program for young diplomats.
Additionally, an agreement was signed regarding cooperation on exchanging information, experiences, and best practices in the digital production of legislative and regulatory texts and their electronic dissemination between Spain’s National Official Gazette Agency and Morocco’s Official Printing House, alongside a memorandum on documentary heritage and digitization.
In a related context, the two countries signed a memorandum of understanding on sending and receiving cooperation requests through electronic means, along with a memorandum on tax cooperation between Nadia Fettah Alaoui, the Moroccan Minister of Economy and Finance, and José Manuel Albares.
On another front, the heads of government of both countries signed a Declaration of Intent for cooperation in combating hate speech, along with a memorandum of understanding between the Spanish National Geographic Institute and the Moroccan National Center for Scientific and Technical Research, and a memorandum for cooperation in agriculture and food industries, signed by Luis Planas, the Spanish Minister of Agriculture, and Ahmed Bouari, the Moroccan Minister of Agriculture.
In the fisheries sector, Morocco, represented by Zakiya Driouch, the State Secretary for Fisheries, signed a memorandum of understanding with her Spanish counterpart on cooperation in fisheries, the development of aquaculture, and combating illegal fishing.
In education and sports, Pilar Alegría, the Spanish Minister of Education, entered into an international administrative agreement with Mohamed Saad Berrada, the Moroccan Minister of National Education, concerning the teaching of Arabic and Moroccan culture in Spanish educational institutions in Morocco, along with a memorandum of understanding in the field of sports. Furthermore, Ameen Tahraoui, the Moroccan Minister of Health and Social Protection, signed a memorandum on social protection and solidarity with Alma Saiz, the Spanish Minister for Integration, Social Security, and Migration.
The agreements and memorandums of understanding signed today underscore the strength and depth of the bilateral relations between Morocco and Spain, which have gained momentum since April 2022, evolving into a comprehensive strategic partnership grounded in political, economic, social, and security coordination, supported by Madrid’s shifting stance in favor of supporting the self-governance solution in Western Sahara.
