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Spanish Foreign Minister Visits Morocco

Moroccan Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch and his Spanish counterpart, Pedro Sanchez, inaugurate the 12th high-level summit meeting between Morocco and Spain in Rabat last February (AP)
Moroccan Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch and his Spanish counterpart, Pedro Sanchez, inaugurate the 12th high-level summit meeting between Morocco and Spain in Rabat last February (AP)
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Spanish Foreign Minister Visits Morocco

Moroccan Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch and his Spanish counterpart, Pedro Sanchez, inaugurate the 12th high-level summit meeting between Morocco and Spain in Rabat last February (AP)
Moroccan Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch and his Spanish counterpart, Pedro Sanchez, inaugurate the 12th high-level summit meeting between Morocco and Spain in Rabat last February (AP)

Spain's Foreign Minister, José Manuel Albares, will start an official visit to Morocco on Wednesday, his first trip to the North African country since his appointment following Pedro Sanchez’ re-election as Prime Minister.

The two-day visit aims to strengthen bilateral relations in various fields, notably political, economic, commercial and linguistic ones, Spanish diplomatic sources told the Moroccan news agency, MAP, on Tuesday.

They added that Spain's top diplomat will hold talks with his Moroccan counterpart, Nasser Bourita on Thursday morning.

Diplomatic sources in Rabat and Madrid told the Spanish news agency EFE that Albares’ visit to the Moroccan capital affirms the Spanish government's determination to strengthen political, commercial and cultural relations with Morocco.

The same sources said businessmen from both countries are expected to hold a meeting to strengthen trade relations.

Relations improved between the two countries after Spain announced in a letter to the King in March 2022 its support for Morocco’s autonomy plan “as the most serious, realistic and credible basis for settling the dispute” over the Western Sahara.

One month later, Morocco’s King Mohammed VI and Sanchez met in Rabat, where the two men reaffirmed their will to open a new phase in relations between the two countries based on “a clear roadmap that allows the management of matters of interest in a concerted manner, in a spirit of normality and good neighborliness, without room for unilateral acts.”

They also agreed to activate concrete activities within the framework of a roadmap covering all sectors of the partnership and issues of common interest.

The roadmap includes 16 points that underline, among other things, the willingness to perpetuate the excellent relations that have always linked the two countries, and reaffirms the determination to constantly enrich them, in a spirit of trust and consultation.

Last February, Rabat hosted the 12th high-level Spanish-Moroccan Forum where the two countries expressed their shared commitment to sustaining relations and reviving trade and investments.

Following the meeting, Spain renewed its recognition of the autonomy initiative as a solution to the Moroccan Sahara issue.

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Syrian Caretaker Government to Hike Public Sector Salaries by 400% Next Month

Graffiti of the Syrian revolution flag is painted on a mosaic of former Syrian President Hafez al-Assad after the ousting of President Bashar al-Assad, in Damascus, Syria January 2, 2025. (Reuters)
Graffiti of the Syrian revolution flag is painted on a mosaic of former Syrian President Hafez al-Assad after the ousting of President Bashar al-Assad, in Damascus, Syria January 2, 2025. (Reuters)
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Syrian Caretaker Government to Hike Public Sector Salaries by 400% Next Month

Graffiti of the Syrian revolution flag is painted on a mosaic of former Syrian President Hafez al-Assad after the ousting of President Bashar al-Assad, in Damascus, Syria January 2, 2025. (Reuters)
Graffiti of the Syrian revolution flag is painted on a mosaic of former Syrian President Hafez al-Assad after the ousting of President Bashar al-Assad, in Damascus, Syria January 2, 2025. (Reuters)

Syria's finance minister said on Sunday the government would hike salaries for many public sector employees by 400% next month after completing an administrative restructuring of ministries to boost efficiency and accountability.

The increase, estimated to cost 1.65 trillion Syrian pounds, or about $127 million at current rates, will be financed by existing state resources plus a combination of regional aid, new investments, and efforts to unfreeze Syrian assets held abroad.

"(This is) the first step towards an emergency solution to the economic reality in the country," Mohammed Abazeed, the finance minister in Syria's caretaker government, told Reuters, adding that this month's wages for public sector staff would be paid out this week.

These measures are part of a broader strategy by Syria's new caretaker government to stabilize the country's economy following 13 years of conflict and sanctions.

Salaries of Syria's public sector employees under toppled President Bashar al-Assad's regime were around $25 a month, putting them below the poverty line, along with the majority of the country's population, Abazeed said.

The hike would follow a comprehensive evaluation of up to 1.3 million registered public sector employees to remove fictitious employees from the payroll and would affect those with sufficient expertise, academic qualifications, and the necessary skills for reconstruction.

Syria's state treasury is facing liquidity challenges emerging from a war. The majority of money available in the central bank is Syrian currency, which has lost much of its value. However, the new government was promised assistance from regional and Arab countries, the minister said.

"The launch of investments in the country in the near future will also benefit the state treasury and allow us to finance this salary increase," he said, adding the central bank currently has sufficient funds to finance the next few months.

The government expects to retrieve up to $400 million in frozen Syrian assets abroad, which could co-finance the initial government expenses.

Syria's caretaker government is also discussing exempting taxpayers, as much as possible, from penalties and interest and working on overhauling the tax system within the next three months to achieve tax justice for all taxpayers, with a first draft expected within four months.

"By the end of this year, we expect having a well-designed tax system that takes the interests of all taxpayers into account," he added.