Events
Spain-Morocco Relations: Sharing Perspectives in a Dynamic Neighborhood
By invitation
Its location at the intersection of Europe and Africa makes Morocco a real crossroads, and the importance of Morocco as a trading route between both continents is key in its historic and cultural development. In the last decades, the bilateral relations between Morocco and Spain have become more extensive, deep and interdependent. Morocco is for Spain a key partner in multiple aspects, and vice versa. To discuss more thoroughly these aspects, the Policy Center for the New South is organizing in partnership with Casa Árabe a seminar on Monday, January 27, in Madrid.
This seminar will provide a platform to discuss the current challenges Morocco is facing but also the opportunities in working with Spain and the European Union towards a common objective in the domain of migration, security and economy. Due to their geographical proximity, the partnership between Morocco and Spain not only reflects the strength of political ties, but also their key role in acting as a valuable link between Africa and the European Union.
The African Union and the European Union promote a constructive and multidimensional approach to migration that complement existing dialogues and frameworks.
The first session will focus on the region of the Sahel, the increasing armed conflicts and regional and international efforts on peacebuilding. As the issue of security is closely tied to migration, the second session will highlight the role of the African Union in the migration policy following the La Valletta Summit in 2015, and experts will discuss the main outcomes of the policy. In the third session, experts will engage in a discussion about the African Continental Free Trade Area, the potential and difficulties of such an initiative.
AGENDA | |
9:00-09:15 |
Registration |
9:15-09:45 |
Opening remarks Karim El Aynaoui, President, Policy Center for the New South Pedro Martínez-Avial, Director-General, Casa Árabe Eva Martínez, Director-General for Maghreb, Mediterranean and Middle East, Spain’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation |
09:45-11:00 |
Panel I: “The Sahel: One Region, Multiple Threats” Chair: Javier Puig, deputy Director-General for the Maghreb, MOFA, Spain Speakers: El Mostafa Rezrazi, Senior Fellow, Policy Center for the New South Angel Losada, Ambassador, EU Special Representative for the Sahel Sergio Altuna, Researcher, Real Instituto Elcano Q&A session |
11:00-11:15 |
Coffee break |
11:15-12:30 |
Panel II: “Africa-EU Migration and Mobility Dialogue” Chair: María Jesús Herrera, Spain office director, International Organization for Migrations Speakers: Nouzha Chekrouni, Senior Fellow, Policy Center for the New South Len Ishmael, Senior Fellow, Policy Center for the New South José Luis Pardo, Ambassador on Special Mission for Migration Affairs, MOFA, Spain Q&A session |
12:30-13:30 |
Lunch break |
13:30-14:45 |
Panel III: “Maghreb: geopolitics of a non-integrated space” Chair: Haizam Amirah Fernández, Senior Researcher, Real Instituto Elcano Speakers: Rachid El Houdaigui, Senior Fellow, Policy Center for the New South Martín Ortega Carcelén, Senior Lecturer, Complutense University of Madrid Leila Zniber, Research Analyst in Economic Competitiveness, Moroccan Ministry of Economy and Finance and Administration Reform Q&A session |
14:45-15:00 |
Closing remarks Rachid El Houdaigui, Senior Fellow, Policy Center for the New South Karim Hauser, Head of International Relations, Casa Árabe |













