Spain’s National Government In Madrid Assures Calm in Response to Rabat’s Naval Maneuvers: Canary Islands’ Minister of the Presidency and Public Administrations, Nieves Lady Barreto has also assured the press that the Government is well “aware” of these activities and Spain’s Foreign Ministry is committed to providing all the information it has.
Routine Naval Exercises in the Region
The Moroccan government has informed Spain, through official channels, of the naval maneuvers it plans to carry out until the end of the year in the waters near the disputed territory of Western Sahara. These exercises are routine and have often, in the past, involved NATO and US naval forces on joint training.
Madrid has informed the Canary Islands Executive about these activities, assuring “tranquility,” according to the Minister of the Presidency and Public Administrations, Nieves Lady Barreto.
Ordinary Activities
These maneuvers are conducted far from the median between the archipelago and Morocco, falling within the “ordinary activity” of the Alawite armed forces. The regional government say they will remain “attentive to these activities,” the minister indicated in a video sent to the media on Tuesday. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has committed to keeping the Canary Islands informed “at all times” about the development of the exercises and any other arising activities.
Duration and Location of Exercises
The Moroccan military have plans to conduct these Naval Maneuvers until the end of the year, off the coast of Western Sahara, specifically off El Aaiún, as communicated to the Spanish Ministry of Defense. The area of the maneuvers is located southwest of El Aaiún, 20 miles from the nearest coast of Western Sahara, and 140 kilometers from the southwest coast of Fuerteventura, the closest point to the Canary Islands. The exercises will take place between seven in the morning and six in the evening, and the Moroccan Delegation of Maritime Fisheries has warned professionals in the sector to stay away from the area “to avoid any negative impact.”
Second Set of Exercises This Year
The Moroccan Navy already conducted similar maneuvers between the end of March and the end of June this year off the coast of Western Sahara and somewhat closer to the Canary Islands—125 kilometers away—which also caused the centre-right leaning regionalist (Canarias Coalition – CC) Government of Fernando Clavijo to express “concern”. At that time, the autonomous community sent a letter of complaint to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs because the exercises had not been officially communicated, although the fishing sector had been informed of the exclusion zone for fishing.
Government Response
The Canary Islands’ autonomous Executive elaborated on a letter it had already sent to the central government requesting information about meetings that the president, Pedro Sánchez, had held with the Moroccan government earlier in the year.
This was due to perceptions and concerns over the potential impact of agreements, between both countries, on the archipelago, including maritime and air space delimitation, migration, and the exploitation of natural resources. In response, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, José Manuel Albares, explained that the exercises were taking place in “well-defined areas far from Spanish waters,” statements that dispelled the concerns of Canarian leaders.
Assurances and Vigilance
The deputy general secretary of the PSOE in the Canary Islands and spokesperson for the regional executive, Elena Máñez, expressed “absolute calm” regarding the new naval maneuvers and training exercises conducted by Morocco off El Aaiún. She noted that the relevant communications had already been made by both Spain and Rabat, as well as by the State with the Canary Islands.
The socialist leader also stressed that these practices are routine and that the Government will remain “vigilant and attentive.”
Local Concerns
On the other hand, the island president of the Cabildo of Fuerteventura, Lola García (CC), has rejected the exercises and warned of the potential danger to marine species.
García expressed her concern as soon as the announcement was made, noting that the exercises will be conducted 140 kilometers from the coast of Fuerteventura.
Context of Fisheries Agreement Tensions
These operations coincide with ongoing tensions between Rabat and Brussels over a fisheries agreement.
The European Court of Justice annulled the agreement between the European Union (EU) and Morocco due to the lack of consent from Polisario, officially recognised as the representatives of the Sahrawi people.
The Court of Justice of the EU (CJEU) ruled in 2021 that including Saharan waters in the agreement violated the rights of the Sahrawi people because their approval had not been obtained.
Impact of the Israeli-Gaza Conflict
While naval exercises in this region are routine, the ongoing Israeli-Gaza conflict has added to concerns as the deepening relationship between Rabat and Jerusalem could further complicate diplomatic efforts.
Spain has denied harbor to ships suspected of carrying weapons for Israel, adding a layer of tension.
Despite these concerns, some rather unscrupulous publications are using the situation for clickbait, sensationalizing what is otherwise a routine set of exercises along the Canary Islands’ maritime border with Morocco, but well inside of Moroccan territorial waters.
Sensationalised Headlines from UK Focused Publications
Some UK publications, of a particular political leaning, like The Express, have headlined the situation with alarmist language such as “Canary Islands panic as Moroccan Navy to start live fire drills just miles off coast.“
They have chosen to emphasise the live-fire nature of the exercises and their proximity to the Canary Islands (ignoring, perhaps, that the archipelago is just 100km (62 miles) off the coast of Africa, and Morocco), but then justifying their statements by saying that these drills “spark concerns for the welfare of local wildlife.” Similarly, there are Tenerife-based publications apparently also thriving on panic, suggesting the exercises as a major threat and using inflammatory language to sensationalise the situation.
However, these reports appear to overlook the ongoing relationships between the neighbouring countries and routine nature of these naval exercises, which have all been communicated through official channels and are being closely monitored by both Spanish and Canary Islands authorities.
It’s as though, in the hyperbole of reporting, there may be a political agenda behind the headlines… though it is most likely a routine bid for clicks and pennies from an ill informed and sensation hungry readership.
Well I never.
Timon .:.
