The Alawi government urges the European Union (EU) to outline its vision of autonomy for the Sahara as a condition for the renewal of the fisheries agreement

Marruecos se apoya en la cuestión saharaui para renovar el acuerdo pesquero con la Unión Europea

photo_camera AFP/FADEL SENNA - Fishermen unload boxes of fish in the port of Western Sahara's main Moroccan-controlled town of Laayoune

Europe's position on Western Sahara is an issue of vital importance to the North African nation because of its many interests, which include having an outlet to the Atlantic Ocean. For both the EU and Morocco, fisheries is a key industry, with the basis of understanding between neighbouring regions being a key point in a relationship that goes back more than 30 years. Aware of the situation, the Moroccan government has asked the European bodies in charge of the matter to update the resolution on the sovereignty of Western Sahara in order to renew the fisheries pacts and agreements. At the meeting of the European agriculture and fisheries ministers in Brussels, it is uncertain that the agreement hangs exclusively and principally on the Saharawi question.

The Council of Agriculture and Fisheries Ministers, faced with the expiry of the fisheries pact in July, decided to meet at the beginning of the week to discuss the issue. Thus, Luis Planas, the Spanish Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, considered at the meeting that the renewal of the agreement would not be possible without a clear resolution on Western Sahara. The agreement circumscribes the ability of the entire European fleet to carry out fishing activities in waters corresponding to the Kingdom of Morocco. Of all the EU countries, the most affected by the possibility of non-renewal would be the Baltic states of Lithuania and Latvia, and Poland, whose fleets are second only to the Spanish fleet.

 nasser-bourita-ministro-exteriores-marruecos-union-europea

The fishing industry is seen as one of the driving forces of the Moroccan economy, thanks in large part to the large daily maritime traffic that the port of Tangier Med receives. During the presentation of the 2022 draft budget for the fishing sector, the Moroccan Minister of Foreign Affairs, Nasser Bourita, drew the red lines that cannot be crossed for the North African country to enter into negotiations on any type of agreement in relation to the fishing sector in the future: respect Moroccan sovereignty. The main European cities are already beginning to make moves.

 atalayar-marruecos-puerto-tanger-med-economia-union-europea

At present, they are awaiting the ruling of the European Court of Justice, which prematurely overturned the issuance of the principle of agreement. On the Moroccan side, the conditions for taking the pre-agreement to the EU are clear. As the international researcher Hisham Moatadid told The Arab Weekly, Rabat's intentions on the part of the Moroccan administration go beyond the economic aspect and are centred on the favourable geopolitical position that a favourable resolution of the Saharawi issue would give it, in which, according to the expert's observations, all the relevant organisations should be involved.

 tribunal-europeo-justicia-luxemburgo-marruecos-industria-pesquera

Of all Europe's active contracts, the fisheries partnership with Morocco is considered the largest of the existing economic agreements. Since the initiation of the agreement in July 2019, more than 120 fishing vessels from almost all member states have sailed in the Kingdom's waters. The Moncloa is concerned that European inaction in the face of the demands coming from Rabat could be detrimental to national production. This is what the Spanish Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries made known who, faced with the possibility of not reaching an agreement with the North African country, called on all European partners to add exceptional measures to support the sector in Spain.

Negotiations will begin at the beginning of the summer, pending the ruling issued by the European Court of Justice regarding Saharan sovereignty, which is expected to be available in September. The Court stated that the ruling remained in force because "it includes products from the disputed region of the Sahara, which is claimed by both Rabat and the Polisario Front". Faced with the possible refusal of renewal by either of the parties, Spain and Morocco, as the main parties affected, will argue that the signing of the agreement was drawn up at a time when the aspirations of the Sahrawi people and favourable organisations were rowing in the same direction, that is, against the separatist claims.
 

More in Economy and business