This figure makes Morocco Spain's first trading partner outside the EU, the United Kingdom and the United States.

Rabat – Spain has reiterated its willingness to continue promoting its cooperation with Morocco at all levels, including commercial.

The Spanish Minister of Foreign Affairs, José Manuel Albares, has renewed his country's determination in Morocco-Spain cooperation during a recent interview with Spanish National Radio. Albares revealed statistics on economic cooperation between Morocco and Spain, without providing a time frame for the development of current trade data between Rabat and Madrid.

"Bilateral trade with Morocco has grown by 31%, approaching 10 billion euros (110,582 million MAD)," said Albares.

This figure makes Morocco Spain's main trading partner outside the EU, the United Kingdom and the United States, he explained.

Albares also highlighted the joint Rabat-Madrid cooperation to address irregular immigration, highlighting that arrivals from Morocco to Spain have decreased.

Referring to the diplomatic crisis between both countries, which lasted a year, Albares said: "We came from a deep crisis, now we are entering a more solid stage."

Morocco and Spain experienced one of the unprecedented diplomatic crises in 2021, after the Spanish government allowed the Polisario leader, Brahim Ghali, to enter its territory to be hospitalized.

Morocco described Spain's decision as a betrayal of the mutual trust and transparency needed between long-standing allies and good neighbors.

After more than a year of dialogue, Spain and Morocco announced a new roadmap to improve diplomatic ties.

As part of the partnership between both countries, Spain formally supported Morocco's Autonomy Plan and described it as the most serious and credible path towards a lasting solution to the Western Sahara dispute.

Spain's decision received a wave of criticism from Polisario supporters within the Spanish government and the EU.

Algeria, which hosts, finances, arms and supports the Polisario Front - a separatist militia - also responded to Spain's decision by freezing a 20-year friendship treaty with Madrid.
The Spanish Socialist Party (PSOE) also received criticism for voting against a European Parliament resolution on the situation of journalists in Morocco.

The majority of the party voted against the resolution. The President of the Spanish Government, Pedro Sánchez, is a member of the PSOE.

In the vote, held on January 19, 356 MEPs voted in favor of the resolution, while 32 voted against and 42 abstained.

The hostile resolution accused Morocco of "harassing and intimidating journalists, human rights defenders and diaspora activities."

Several Moroccan institutions responded to the resolution, condemning the European Parliament's interference in Morocco's internal affairs and judiciary.

Source: MorrocoWorldNews