Spanish Minister of Foreign Affairs, José Manuel Albares, highlighted on Wednesday the qualitative progress achieved in cooperation between Spain and Morocco, stressing that bilateral relations are experiencing “their best historical moment.”
In an address to the Congress of Deputies devoted to foreign policy, Albares stated that the two countries are making steady progress in several strategic areas, notably security, mobility, migration management, as well as in the economic, commercial, and cultural sectors.
The Spanish Foreign Minister also underscored the historic record of more than 22 billion euros in trade exchanges in 2024, an increase of nearly 10% compared with the previous year, noting that the first nine months of 2025 already total 17 billion euros.
He recalled in this regard that Spain remains Morocco’s leading trading partner, while the Kingdom is the top African destination for Spanish exports and the third-largest global market for Spanish companies.
Albares pointed out that more than 5,000 Spanish companies export regularly to Morocco and that 1,400 firms import from the Kingdom, generating thousands of jobs.
Spanish investments in Morocco now exceed 2.3 billion euros, making the country the leading African destination for Spanish capital, with more than 25,000 jobs created, he added.
The official also highlighted bilateral cooperation on migration, which has led to a 60% reduction in irregular arrivals in the Canary Islands, noting that the migration route through Spain and Morocco has the lowest rates in Europe according to Frontex data.
He recalled that the recent High-Level Meeting in Madrid resulted in the signing of 14 agreements in key areas such as digital technology, justice, social protection, combating hate speech, education, sport, agriculture, fisheries, and diplomatic cooperation.
Touching on the 2030 World Cup, which will be co-hosted by Spain, Morocco, and Portugal, Albares said that this event opens up “a wide range of opportunities” in the investment and infrastructure sectors, calling on economic actors to take full advantage of this momentum.
The Spanish Foreign Minister also highlighted the depth of the human ties between the two countries, emphasizing the strong integration of the Moroccan community in Spain and the presence of 20,000 Spanish nationals living in Morocco, who benefit from a large network of Cervantes schools and institutes.
