Spain and Morocco: Bridging Diplomatic Divides with a Royal Visit

Friday 21 June 2024 - 09:20

In a remarkable diplomatic endeavor, the Spanish government led by Pedro Sánchez is actively negotiating with Rabat to facilitate the first official visit of his Majesty King Mohammed VI of Morocco to Spain in nearly two decades. The last such visit occurred on March 11, 2005, when the Moroccan monarch attended the first anniversary commemoration of the 11-M terrorist attacks in Madrid.

According to diplomatic sources privy to OKDIARIO, the aspiration to host his Majesty King Mohammed VI in Spain has been a long-standing ambition for Sánchez since his ascension to power in 2018. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is spearheading the intricate coordination, with the Royal Household poised to assume the hosting responsibilities should the visit materialize.

While the Spanish government has formally extended the invitation to Rabat, facilitated by the General Directorate of Protocol, Chancellery, and Orders of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, no response has been forthcoming from the Moroccan side thus far. Securing the monarch's acceptance poses a formidable challenge, as his Majesty King Mohammed VI has refrained from undertaking official visits to European nations for an extended period.

The sovereign's last European sojourn occurred in 2018 when he visited Paris at the invitation of President Emmanuel Macron to commemorate the centenary of the end of World War I. Apart from this exceptional occasion, the Moroccan ruler's travels in 2023 have been limited to Gabon and the United Arab Emirates.

Diplomatic sources reveal that the Spanish government envisions this prospective visit as a symbolic gesture of "total reconciliation" after years of tumultuous relations between the two nations. The nadir of this strained rapport was precipitated by the clandestine entry of Brahim Ghali, the leader of the Polisario Front, into Spain under the auspices of the government. This incident triggered an unprecedented migratory influx into Ceuta and allegations of surveillance targeting the mobile devices of Sánchez and several ministers, with suspicions pointing toward Rabat's involvement.

The purported catalyst for the visit would be the official designation of Spain, Morocco, and Portugal as co-hosts for the 2030 FIFA World Cup. Although this selection is virtually certain, with no other contenders vying for the honor, the formal election process is scheduled for December by FIFA. Diplomatic circles within the Spanish Foreign Ministry speculate that, should the visit transpire, it would likely occur between November 2024 and February 2025.

Notably, the prospect of his Majesty King Mohammed VI visiting the Moncloa Palace, the official residence of the Spanish Prime Minister, has been categorically ruled out. Instead, any royal visit would necessitate hosting at the Zarzuela Palace, where the monarch would convene with King Felipe VI. This setting would provide the backdrop for a potential encounter between Sánchez and the Moroccan ruler, following the prime minister's previous receptions at the royal palace in Rabat. Furthermore, the possibility of excursions beyond the palace environs during the visit has not been discounted.

If confirmed, this diplomatic overture would mark his Majesty King Mohammed VI's return to Spain after an absence of nearly two decades, his sole previous visit during his reign coinciding with the 11-M anniversary commemoration. However, even on that occasion, the Moroccan monarch opted to skip several scheduled events, including the reception hosted by King Juan Carlos I at the Royal Palace.

Certain diplomatic voices express skepticism regarding the feasibility of Moncloa's plans, citing the reservations harbored by a segment of the Spanish left, including within the Council of Ministers itself, concerning the Moroccan plan for the Sahara endorsed by Sánchez. Such dissent could potentially manifest in protests against the monarch during his visit to Madrid.

Meanwhile, as Morocco celebrates the milestone of its tomatoes outselling Spanish produce within the European Union, Rabat is also rejoicing over another momentous achievement: the commencement of Africa's largest desalination plant in Casablanca. Remarkably, a substantial portion of the €600 million project cost will be financed by the Spanish government, which approved a €250 million credit line during the final Council of Ministers meeting of 2023.

This strategic plant, spanning an area equivalent to 100 football fields, will allocate over 50 million cubic meters of water for agricultural irrigation purposes, bolstering Morocco's agricultural sector. The inauguration of the construction phase was presided over by Moroccan Crown Prince Moulay El Hassan this week, underscoring the project's national significance.

The desalination facility, a collaborative endeavor between Moroccan companies and the Spanish firm Acciona, is designed to provide water for 7.5 million people while meeting the needs of an expansive agricultural area in Morocco. Alongside the Agadir plant, which also benefited from Spanish contributions, and future installations in Al Jadida and Safi, Morocco aims to increase its capacity for agricultural irrigation tenfold by 2030, from the current nine plants producing 147 million cubic meters annually to nearly twenty plants yielding over 1,000 million cubic meters.

As Spain and Morocco navigate the intricate tapestry of diplomatic relations, the prospect of a royal visit carries profound symbolic weight, representing a concerted effort to mend fractured ties and forge a path toward enduring cooperation between the two nations.