Within the framework of the High Level Meeting (RAN) that has been held between Spain and Rabat and that the Government has described as "historic", the Spanish-Moroccan commission in charge of delimiting the respective exclusive economic zones (EEZ) on the Atlantic facade, between the continent and the Canary Islands, has been held.
During the meeting of this commission, which had not been held for 15 years, Morocco has renounced taking new unilateral actions with respect to the demarcation of the waters, such as the one it carried out in 2020 when it sent a law to its Parliament that extended them.
The Summit, which had not been convened for more than 7 years, will lead to the signing of 24 agreements and has brought together 11 ministers from each country. The new stage opened in relations between Spain and Morocco after its change of position on the Sahara on Thursday led to a pact between both countries to avoid any type of statements that offend the other party and, especially, those relating to issues about their respective sovereignties.
Spain reiterates its support for the autonomy of the Sahara within Morocco
If there is no explicit mention of Ceuta and Melilla, there is one about the Sahara, since it is stated verbatim that "Spain reiterates the position expressed in the joint declaration adopted on April 7, 2022", in which it assumed the Moroccan autonomy initiative as the "most serious, realistic and credible" basis for that territory.
The President of the Government highlighted on his part the mutual commitment to "avoid everything that we know offends the other party, especially in what affects our respective spheres of sovereignty."
"We will always resort to dialogue and not to faits accomplis," Sánchez stressed, who in an appearance at the end of the summit together with the Prime Minister of Morocco, Aziz Ajanuch (without questions because according to Spanish sources Morocco imposed this format) stressed that the two countries will have a permanent dialogue on issues that affect them "without resorting to unilateral actions" and addressing any issue "however complex it may be."
