Canary Island seeks closer ties with Morocco

Head of the autonomous Canary Islands region, Fernando Clavijo, said his government subscribes to the declaration of April 2022, which ushers a new era in Moroccan-Spanish ties.

The declaration set the path for a new era in Spanish-Moroccan relations with the recognition of the autonomy plan under Moroccan sovereignty as “the solution” to the regional dispute over the Sahara.

Clavijo said, following talks with foreign minister Nasser Bourita, in Rabat that the Canary Islands looks forward to deeper ties with Morocco at all levels.

Bourita told the press the talks raised issues of mutual interest, including economic cooperation as well as the demarcation of maritime borders and the management of air space.

The Canary Islands and Morocco’s southern provinces have untapped cooperation potential and the joint organization of the World Cup opens prospects for closer partnership with the Canary Islands, he said.

Bourita also recalled Morocco’s approach to addressing illegal migration by cracking down on migrant trafficking networks, while debunking a set of myths relating to migration in the continent.

Explaining that the larger part of migration takes place within the continent, he said only less than 1% of African migrants opt for routes to Europe, stressing Morocco’s readiness to cooperate on the return of minors.

Morocco abides by the joint declaration of April 2022 with Spain which made the two countries an example of bilateral cooperation in the region, he said.