Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez hosted his Moroccan counterpart Aziz Akhannouch in Madrid on Thursday (December 4) for talks focused on Western Sahara and broader cooperation with the EU’s key North African partner.

The decades-long dispute over the territory has shaped relations between Rabat, Madrid and Brussels, with the Algeria-backed Polisario Front continuing to demand independence for the disputed territory.

Spain’s government described the timing of the summit as “especially positive” for bilateral relations, Andalou Agency reported, noting that last year bilateral trade reached a record €22.6bn ($24.3bn).

Ties have strengthened since 2022, when Madrid backed Rabat’s proposal to grant Western Sahara autonomy under Moroccan sovereignty, a position also supported by the United States and France.

Officials said the issue would feature prominently in Thursday’s discussions before the signing of agreements covering sectors including agriculture and fisheries. The summit comes weeks after the UN Security Council endorsed Morocco’s autonomy plan for the Western Sahara region.

While that plan has been supported by Spain’s Socialist-led government, it is opposed by coalition partner Sumar, whose government ministers – including Deputy Prime Minister Yolanda Diaz – boycotted the summit, according to Andalou Agency.

“We cannot yield a centimetre of Sahrawi land,” Diaz said on social media network Bluesky, reiterating Sumar’s support for a self-determination referendum. Sahrawi Spanish MP Tesh Sidi also accused Sanchez’s party of bending to Rabat’s interests.

Morocco is seeking to assume control of Western Sahara’s airspace, currently managed by Spain from the Canary Islands. “When there is a territory under a country’s sovereignty, it is better that the country takes charge of managing all air, land or maritime matters,” Moroccan Trade Minister Ryad Mezzour told El Mundo.

The Polisario Front, which seeks Western Sahara independence, warned that Rabat’s ambitions could threaten the Canary Islands. Its Spain-based representative, Abdulah Arabi, said the group will remain “vigilant” regarding the summit's agreements.

Migration cooperation was also expected to be a major topic. Morocco shares the EU’s only land borders with Africa through Spain’s enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla and is viewed in Brussels as an essential partner in managing irregular migration flows.

“Morocco is playing a major role in combating illegal immigration,” Mezzour told El Mundo. “We are making every effort, together with our partners, to do what we must do so that it is not a problem.”