Karima Benyaich meets Salvador Illa following adoption of UN Resolution 2797

Friday 21 November 2025 - 13:30

By: Sahili Aya

Karima Benyaich meets Salvador Illa following adoption of UN Resolution 2797

Morocco’s ambassador to Spain, Karima Benyaich, met with the President of the Generalitat of Catalonia, Salvador Illa, on Thursday at the regional government headquarters in Barcelona. The meeting took place in the context of strengthening bilateral relations and followed the adoption of UN Resolution 2797 on Western Sahara on 31 October.

According to diplomatic sources cited in the Spanish press, the discussions focused on enhancing cooperation between Morocco and Catalonia and exploring new areas of joint action. Catalonia hosts the largest Moroccan community in Spain, numbering over 241,000 residents—representing 16.7% of the region’s foreign population. The Catalan Socialist Party (PSC) also includes several politicians of Moroccan origin in key regional and provincial leadership roles.

On the Catalan side, few details were disclosed regarding the content of the meeting. It was attended by the Minister for European Affairs and External Action, Jaume Duch, who recently defended Spain’s support for Morocco’s autonomy initiative, first presented to the UN in 2007. Madrid’s backing is widely seen as a major step toward recognizing Morocco’s historical and legitimate rights over the territory, which remained under Spanish rule until 1975.

Within Spain, however, voices from certain right-wing groups and sectors of the far-left—particularly in Catalonia, a stronghold of independence movements—continue to evoke the country’s colonial past. These groups often frame their political stance as support for the Polisario Front under the banner of self-determination or human rights.

Yet an increasing number of Spanish politicians, including figures from the left, are leaning toward a more pragmatic approach. Jaume Duch defended this position in Parliament, highlighting Spain’s 2022 shift in support of Morocco’s autonomy plan. “The situation in Sahara is highly sensitive,” he stated on 5 November. “Our commitment, in line with the United Nations and international law, is to follow this path responsibly.”

Duch had been criticized by MP Anna Balsera for aligning with the central government’s position and allegedly “abandoning” Spain’s sovereignty claims over Sahara. He emphasized, however, that the UN resolution “does not exclude any scenario” and called for strict monitoring of the roadmap implemented between Madrid and Rabat.

In Catalonia, confusion remains widespread regarding the situation in Sahara. Political statements often conflate the territory with the Sahrawi refugees living in the Tindouf camps in Algeria or refer incorrectly to “two parties” to the conflict, although the UN recognizes four.

For years, the Catalan government has supported initiatives in Algeria linked to the Polisario Front, including holiday programs in Spain and temporary hosting arrangements for Sahrawi children. Duch recently advocated for expanding similar initiatives, such as the “Vacations in Peace” program, in the coming years.