Latest news with #Spain-AfricaStrategy2025-2028
Ya Biladi
07-05-2025
- Politics
- Ya Biladi
Spain : Polisario allies call for a «European solution» to the Sahara issue
On Monday, the issue of Western Sahara was at the forefront of discussions in both chambers of the Spanish Parliament. An unprecedented request emerged during these debates from Senator Luke Uribe-Etxebarria, a member of the Basque Nationalist Party, who advocated for the involvement of «the European Union, not just Spain», in resolving this conflict. «Europe must take decisive steps to ensure justice and freedom for the Sahrawi people, rather than supporting positions that prolong the conflict», he asserted. In the presence of the Spanish Foreign Minister, the Basque senator urged Pedro Sanchez's government to support «a solution based on the United Nations Charter for the world's last colony, respecting the Sahrawi people's right to self-determination in choosing their future». Meanwhile, José Manuel Albares presented the «Spain-Africa Strategy 2025-2028» to deputies and senators. The document does not mention the issue of Western Sahara. As a reminder, the head of diplomacy had earlier invited the United Nations to «propose a solution» to this regional dispute.
Ya Biladi
13-03-2025
- Politics
- Ya Biladi
Madrid's Africa strategy faces criticism over Western Sahara exclusion
Spain's cooperation strategy with Africa, titled «Spain-Africa 2025-2028: Working Together Through a Strategic Partnership», makes no mention of Western Sahara or the «Sahrawi people». This omission has sparked criticism from certain political circles in Spain and media outlets affiliated with the Polisario Front. The 96-page document references Morocco nine times in contexts related to trade, culture, and migration, compared to just four mentions of Algeria. It describes Morocco as «Spain's main trading partner in Africa, followed by Algeria, Nigeria, Libya, and South Africa», while also highlighting the historical ties between the two countries. Additionally, the report notes that «Spain has a long tradition of educational and cultural cooperation with Africa, thanks to the efforts of various actors in the field, with a clear geographical focus on Morocco and Guinea». The exclusion of Western Sahara has drawn criticism from Spanish media outlets known for their opposition to Morocco. The newspaper El Independiente reiterated the Polisario Front's position, claiming that the territory was «completely ignored in the document, despite Spain still being, legally speaking, the administrative power of this territory». Similarly, Vozpópuli reported that the Spanish government had «completely overlooked Western Sahara in the Spain-Africa Strategy 2025-2028, failing to mention the Sahrawi people or the Sahrawi issue in a document intended to guide Spanish cooperation with Africa in the coming years». Polisario-affiliated media also condemned the omission. The Spanish-language site Saharawi noted that while the previous strategy focused on sub-Saharan Africa while excluding the Maghreb, the new plan encompasses all African countries, including Morocco, but deliberately ignores Western Sahara. The outlet suggested that this exclusion was a calculated move, with many analysts believing that Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares omitted Western Sahara to appease Morocco. It further argued that this decision aligns with Spain's broader shift on the Sahrawi conflict, which culminated in Madrid's 2022 recognition of Morocco's sovereignty over the territory. Since then, Spanish-Moroccan relations have been shaped by a new approach—one that, according to critics, now includes sidestepping the Western Sahara issue in official policy documents.
Ya Biladi
13-03-2025
- Politics
- Ya Biladi
Spain's Africa strategy excludes Western Sahara
The Spanish government has reportedly excluded Western Sahara from its «Spain-Africa Strategy 2025-2028», according to several Iberian media outlets on Wednesday, March 12. Diplomats at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that «the Africa Plan only concerns the sub-Saharan African region». However, other diplomats who disagree with José Manuel Albares' policy on this matter believe that the exclusion aims to avoid offending Morocco. This careful approach toward Morocco was also evident on Monday in the House of Representatives, where José Manuel Albares addressed concerns about air links between Spanish cities and Laayoune or Dakhla in Western Sahara. «Private airline decisions are a matter for discussion between the companies and the relevant civil aviation agencies, so they are technical decisions», he responded to a pro-Polisario MP who urged the government to condemn the opening of these routes. A similar stance was taken by the Ministry of Defense, which decided not to commemorate the centenary of the Spanish army's landing in Al Hoceima on September 8, 1925. For the record, during his meeting with Algerian Foreign Minister Ahmed Attaf on February 20 in Johannesburg, José Manuel Albares requested that Algeria's official communication refrain from mentioning the Sahara issue.
