
El Salvador Renews Support for Morocco's Sovereignty Over Western Sahara
Ulloa made his remarks during a meeting on Monday, with Ambassador and Director General of Bilateral Relations and Regional Affairs Fouad Yazourh in San Salvador on Monday.
'Since 2019, El Salvador has strengthened its cooperation relations with Morocco, which were further solidified with the opening of the embassy in Rabat in 2022. These steps have marked an important phase in El Salvador's foreign policy,' the vice president said.
He said the strengthened ties between the two countries also renewed El Salvador's commitment to supporting 'Morocco's sovereignty over all of its territory, including the Sahara.'
The Moroccan ambassador shared the same sentiment, stressing the importance of strong ties between the two countries as well as their interest in deepening bilateral cooperation across different fields.
He said both countries are determined to continue promoting peace and respect for sovereignty, expressing Morocco's commitment to furthering cooperation with El Salvador in trade and commercial sectors.
According to their website, the Observatory of Economic Complexity Morocco exported $13.5 million to El Salvador in 2023. The main products that cover Morocco's exports include mixed mineral and chemical fertilizers as well as textiles.
According to El Salvador's Foreign Affairs Ministry, the two countries discussed several topics as part of the 2nd Political Consultations Meeting on Monday.
'This meeting allowed both parties to review the progress of their relationship and identify opportunities to further expand bilateral ties in areas of shared interest, including development cooperation and economic exchanges,' the ministry said.
Deputy Foreign Minister Adriana Mira also expressed satisfaction with ties between the two countries, noting that El Salvador's strategy focuses on deepening ties with a key partner like Morocco.
'For this reason, we seek to strengthen our bonds of friendship and collaboration, and for this to translate into benefits for the population,' Mira said.
The Salvadoran ministry identified Morocco as one of its main allies in Africa.
'It is the first destination on the continent to receive a Salvadoran embassy, serving as a bridge to bring closer and expand ties with the region,' the ministry added. Tags: Algeria and the Western SaharaMorocco sahara
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Ya Biladi
4 hours ago
- Ya Biladi
The Rif separatist party acknowledges Spain's «sovereignty» over Ceuta and Melilla
Following a recent gathering in Algiers, the so-called «Rif Nationalist Party» is now shifting its focus to Spain. In a surprising move, the party, which identifies as «Rif nationalist», has publicly recognized Spanish sovereignty over Ceuta and Melilla, echoing the position of another separatist group, the Polisario Front. «For us, Ceuta and Melilla are Spanish territories. This is an undeniable historical fact», declared Ridouane Oussama, leader of the separatist movement, in an interview with a Madrid-based newspaper. The statement appears aimed at reassuring Spanish political, military, and security circles. With backing from Algiers, the Rif separatist group is seeking to establish a branch in Melilla. Oussama argues that Spain has a responsibility to support his party's secessionist aspirations. By helping to «liberate a people», he claims, Spain could «correct a historical mistake», a tactic reminiscent of the Polisario Front's long-standing appeals for support from Madrid. «An independent Rif would allow Spain to resolve internal challenges, particularly around security and terrorism», Oussama asserted. In exchange for Spanish support, he promises Madrid «a friendly neighbor across the border». He emphasized what he described as enduring cultural ties between the Rif and Spain: «The Rif and the Spanish, especially in the south, share a cultural blend. We are very close culturally. The population there is made up of 50% Rifains and 50% Spaniards», he said. Oussama went further, arguing that «Spain has an interest in an independent Rif, as it would help ease Morocco's pressure on issues like immigration and territorial claims over Ceuta and Melilla». He even praised Spain's former colonial presence in the Rif: «Our grandparents tell us the Spanish occupation was better than the Moroccan one», he claimed. In making this statement, he disregards the suffering of thousands of Rif residents who were victims of chemical attacks by Spanish forces in the 1920s, an episode still remembered by certain segments of Spanish society. It's worth recalling that in November 2021, two Catalan parties, the Republican Left of Catalonia (ERC) and Together for Catalonia (Junts).called on the Spanish government, through a non-binding resolution, to formally apologize for the use of chemical weapons against civilians in the Rif.


Morocco World
4 hours ago
- Morocco World
Madrid Reportedly Ends Four-Decade Arabic Language Program
Rabat — The Community of Madrid will reportedly end its participation in the Arabic Language and Moroccan Culture Teaching Program starting in the 2025/26 school year. Spanish news sources reported that the regional government cited a lack of guarantees for proper functioning as the main reason for the decision. The Ministry of Education, Science, and Universities announced the measure on Thursday, affecting more than 1,400 students across 70 Madrid schools. Authorities have reportedly detected 'serious malfunctions' in recent years that make continuing the program impossible. This decision breaks a bilateral agreement Spain and Morocco signed in 1985, potentially ending nearly four decades of cooperation in cultural education. Madrid officials point to several problems with the program's management. The ministry says it lacks transparency and proper institutional control over teacher selection and content development. The program operates under the Spanish Ministry of Education in collaboration with the Moroccan Embassy. Morocco directly selects and sends Moroccan officials to teach in Spanish schools, which Madrid authorities find problematic. 'We don't have visibility or participation in the teacher selection process,' Spanish news outlet El Faro de Ceuta reported the Madrid Ministry of Education as saying, adding that officials also question whether Morocco properly evaluates teachers' pedagogical training, Spanish language skills, or teaching programs. The regional government says it cannot verify if teachers receive adequate pedagogical and didactic training or if authorities check their Spanish proficiency before assigning them to schools. Program structure and participation Madrid offers the program only as an extracurricular activity outside compulsory school hours. The 2024/25 academic year saw 1,434 Madrid students participate in the program. Other regions show higher participation rates. Catalonia leads with 2,151 students, followed by Andalusia with 1,810 participants. The program currently operates in twelve autonomous communities across Spain. The initiative targets children from Moroccan families living in Spain. It aims to preserve their cultural heritage, promote bilingualism, and support sociocultural integration. Most schools nationwide choose to offer the program outside regular school hours, though the bilateral agreement allows integration into compulsory curricula. Political background and opposition Madrid officials insist that political pressure did not influence their decision, despite repeated calls from the Vox party, known for its hostility to Morocco, to eliminate the program. In April, Vox submitted a non-legislative motion to the Madrid Assembly demanding the program's removal. Más Madrid and PSOE rejected the proposal, while the Popular Party (PP) abstained from voting. The PP avoided supporting complete elimination but expressed concerns about 'structural deficiencies' in the program. The PP demanded greater regional oversight and suggested that Madrid administration teachers should handle instruction instead of Moroccan officials. The party even proposed an amendment warning that Madrid would withdraw if authorities did not correct identified problems. Tags: Arabic Language ProgramMoroccan CultureMorocco and SpainSpain


Morocco World
5 hours ago
- Morocco World
ANRT: Maroc Telecom, Inwi and Orange Obtain 5G Licenses for MAD 2.1 Billion
Marrakech – The National Telecommunications Regulatory Agency (ANRT) announced on Friday that Morocco's three telecom operators have been granted 5G licenses following a competitive bidding process launched on July 11. According to an official press release by the regulator, Itissalat Al-Maghrib (Maroc Telecom), Wana Corporate (Inwi), and Médi Telecom (Orange) secured the licenses for a total of MAD 2.1 billion ($210 million), with varying financial contributions based on bandwidth allocation. Maroc Telecom paid MAD 900 million ($90 million) for 120 MHz of bandwidth, while Inwi and Orange each paid MAD 600 million ($60 million) for 70 MHz. The minimum reserve price for each 5G license was set at MAD 600 million ($60 million) corresponding to 70 MHz. Eventually, all three operators will have access to the same bandwidth of 120 MHz by utilizing frequency bands released for 5G development. The licenses will be valid for 20 years and are renewable. Coverage targets were initially set at eight cities and their airports by November 2025, 25% of the Moroccan population by the end of 2026, and 70% by the end of 2030. However, these objectives were revised upward during the ANRT Board meeting chaired by the Head of Government. The operators have committed to more ambitious coverage targets, with plans to reach 45% by the end of 2026 and 85% by the end of 2030. During the board meeting, ANRT Director General Azlarab Hassibi stated that 5G technology will be implemented through global investments of MAD 80 billion ($8 billion) spread over the coming years. This investment will fund the deployment through 2035. Read also: Maroc Telecom, Inwi Announce MAD 4.4 Billion Investment to Boost Home Fiber, 5G Deployment In the evaluation process, Maroc Telecom received a score of 87, Orange scored 85, and Inwi received 87. According to the instruction report, each bidder's offer exceeded the minimum requirements specified in the call for competition and complied with cybersecurity-related requirements. Operators will initially deploy 5G-NSA (Non-Standalone), with the deployment of 5G-SA (Standalone), or full 5G, beginning two years after the initial launch. For comparison, the 4G licenses granted in 2015 cost operators a total of MAD 2 billion ($200 million): MAD 1 billion ($100 million) for Maroc Telecom, MAD 503 million ($50.3 million) for Inwi, and MAD 500 million ($50 million) for Orange. The cost of 5G licenses is therefore only 20% higher than that of 4G. This strategic choice aims to allow operators to invest in this new generation of network while ensuring acceptable profitability. The deployment of 4G networks has enabled significant development in mobile communications over the past decade. According to ANRT figures, internet penetration is approaching 105% as of June, network coverage exceeds 99% of the Moroccan population, and the penetration rate of 4G smartphones in Morocco is approximately 80%. The development of 4G has also led to important reductions in mobile data tariffs. The main terms of the 5G licenses include national coverage, specific commitments regarding cybersecurity, service security, and continuity. Regular cybersecurity audits will be conducted in accordance with best practices. Future license holders will have access to 50-100 MHz in the 3 GHz frequency band and 2×10 MHz in the 700 MHz frequency band. Each interested assignee will have to financially contribute to the reorganization of the concerned frequency bands, with this contribution set at MAD 60 million ($6 million) per license.