Spain Interior Minister: Morocco Is a Loyal Partner to Madrid

Spanish Minister of Interior Fernando Grande-Marlaska. (EPA)
Spanish Minister of Interior Fernando Grande-Marlaska. (EPA)
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Spain Interior Minister: Morocco Is a Loyal Partner to Madrid

Spanish Minister of Interior Fernando Grande-Marlaska. (EPA)
Spanish Minister of Interior Fernando Grande-Marlaska. (EPA)

Spanish Minister of Interior Fernando Grande-Marlaska stressed on Friday that Morocco is a "loyal" and "fraternal" partner with which Madrid maintains "excellent" ties.

"Morocco is a state that cooperates with Spain. It is a loyal partner and, of course, I would even say fraternal," Grande-Marlaska said to the press.

The relations between Spain and Morocco are "so satisfactory" and the mutual trust is "so important", the Spanish minister added, highlighting the April 7 Joint Declaration that launched a "new stage in the bilateral partnership."

"There is no need to worry, because relations between the two countries are exceptional and excellent," he stressed.

In September, the Spanish government welcomed the "intense" strategic partnership between Spain and Morocco, which reflects "a new stage" based on "transparency, permanent communication and mutual respect.

"We have an intense bilateral program covering all aspects of our bilateral relationship, based on transparency, permanent communication and mutual respect. These are the principles of a sincere cooperation between two strategic partners like Spain and Morocco," said Spanish Minister of Foreign Affairs José Manuel Albares after meeting with his Moroccan counterpart Nasser Bourita on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in September.



IOM Chief Says Cannot Replace UNRWA but Keen to Step up Support

A destroyed truck that was used by workers of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) is loaded onto another truck after it was hit in an Israeli air strike on Salah Al Dine road between Deir Al-Balah and Khan Younis town southern Gaza Strip, 23 October 2024. (EPA)
A destroyed truck that was used by workers of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) is loaded onto another truck after it was hit in an Israeli air strike on Salah Al Dine road between Deir Al-Balah and Khan Younis town southern Gaza Strip, 23 October 2024. (EPA)
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IOM Chief Says Cannot Replace UNRWA but Keen to Step up Support

A destroyed truck that was used by workers of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) is loaded onto another truck after it was hit in an Israeli air strike on Salah Al Dine road between Deir Al-Balah and Khan Younis town southern Gaza Strip, 23 October 2024. (EPA)
A destroyed truck that was used by workers of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) is loaded onto another truck after it was hit in an Israeli air strike on Salah Al Dine road between Deir Al-Balah and Khan Younis town southern Gaza Strip, 23 October 2024. (EPA)

The head of the International Organization for Migration said on Tuesday that the agency was keen to step up its support to people in crisis following the Israeli decision to ban the UN relief agency UNRWA but there was "no way" it can replace its work in Gaza.

"UNRWA is absolutely essential to the people of Gaza, and I don't want to leave anyone with the misimpression that IOM can play that role, because we cannot, but we can provide support to those people who are currently in crisis," IOM Director-General Amy Pope told reporters.

"That is a role that we are very, very keen to play, and one that we will be stepping up with the support of various stakeholders."