Spain’s Sánchez pledges to keep strong Morocco ties after royal Ceuta-Melilla visit

Morocco remains a key focus of Spanish foreign policy, Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said after King Felipe VI’s recent visit to the Spanish-administered enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla. Ceuta and Melilla lie on the North African coast, bordering Morocco.

Relations with Morocco

Speaking to journalists in Brussels ahead of European Council meetings, Sánchez said the Spanish government has consistently aimed to build the best possible relations with Morocco and to preserve good‑neighbourly cooperation.

Migration and EU solidarity

He thanked fellow European governments for their “solidarity” with Spain during the migration crisis that struck Ceuta at the end of July.

Sánchez pointed out divisions among EU member states concerning the bloc’s own resources and the financing required to tackle various challenges, including foreign policy.

He argued that curbing migration to Europe depends not only on stronger border controls and action against irregular migration but also on closer cooperation with countries of origin and transit.

“What we cannot accept,” he said, “is the cutting of substantial amounts from cooperation and understanding policies with third countries, or with Latin American and African countries, particularly in West Africa,” adding that such cuts would directly affect Spain.

Sánchez said that more than 12,000 migrants had voluntarily returned since August 10 after the mass arrival in Ceuta, and that over 2,500 had done so in October alone.

Climate, energy and trade

Turning to other European priorities, he described the climate emergency as a shared challenge rather than a problem for individual countries such as Spain, Italy, France or Germany.

He called for stronger joint financing for climate resilience and adaptation, and argued that energy security also requires a collective European response.

Energy challenges, he noted, have been worsened by shocks linked to Iran, the energy crisis stemming from Russia’s war in Ukraine, and certain policies pursued by other allied powers, necessitating the mobilisation of shared economic resources.

Sánchez also reiterated Spain’s view that Europe should engage frankly and constructively with other major powers, including China, to address trade imbalances.

He warned that the European Union faces a trade deficit its economy cannot sustain and urged a rebalancing of trade relations that would benefit both Europe and China.