Spain - The African Mirror

Apr

2022

Western Sahara’s Polisario Front suspends contact with Spain

THE Polisario Front, Western Sahara's independence movement, said it was severing ties with Spain after Madrid backed Morocco's plan to give autonomy to the former Spanish colony. Spain has supported the autonomy plan as a way to resolve a long-running dispute over Western Sahara, which Morocco considers its own territory. But the Polisario, backed by Algeria, has rejected the autonomy proposal and wants an independence referendum. The Polisario said the plan aimed to legitimise the annexation of Western Sahara "ignoring the inalienable rights of the Saharawi people to self-determination and independence." Last month, Spain told Morocco it considered the autonomy…

Mar

2022

By The African Mirror

Hundreds of migrants scale fence, cross into Spain’s Melilla enclave

WORLD

MORE than 2,500 migrants attempted to climb a high border fence separating Spain's North African enclave of Melilla from Morocco, and around 500 managed to cross into Spanish territory, local authorities said. The central government in Melilla said in a statement the migrants from Sub-Saharan Africa were armed with hooks, sticks and screws, and threw stones as security forces tried to stop them from climbing the six-metre (20-ft) fence. Sixteen police officers were injured and 20 migrants were being treated for minor injuries, the central government said. Melilla and Ceuta - a second Spanish enclave also on Africa's northern coast…

Sep

2021

By The African Mirror

Russia to resume flights with Kenya from September 21

COVID-19

RUSSIA will resume passenger flights with Spain, Iraq, Kenya and Slovakia from September 21, the government said on Monday and will increase the number of airports with flights to Turkey and Egypt. Russia imposed wide-ranging travel restrictions at the start of the coronavirus pandemic in March 2020, many of which remain in force, but has gradually expanded the list of countries for air travel. Russia's coronavirus task force said it had decided flights could resume after it had assessed the epidemiological situation in those countries. From September 21, there will be four return Moscow flights each week with Madrid, Barcelona…

Jul

2021

By The African Mirror

Europe sends aid to Tunisia

COVID-19

ITALY, Spain and Switzerland have sent medical aid to Tunisia which is facing its worst health crisis since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, with a sharp rise in deaths, hospitals filled to capacity and a lack of oxygen supplies. Deaths from COVID-19 exceeded 150 per day during the past week in Tunisia, prompting countries including Qatar, Algeria, the UAE, Morocco, Turkey and Kuwait to send aid. Egypt and Saudi Arabia opened an air bridge earlier this week, sending at least 8 planes of aid. France said this week it also planned to send about one million vaccination doses and…

Jun

2021

By The African Mirror

Morocco, Spain trade accusations of violating good ‘neighbourliness’

NEWS

MOROCCO and Spain traded new accusations yesterday in a diplomatic row triggered by the Western Sahara territorial issue that led this month to a migration crisis in Spain's enclave in northern Morocco. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez described Morocco's actions in appearing to relax border controls with the enclave of Ceuta as unacceptable and an assault on national borders. Morocco's Foreign Ministry meanwhile blamed Spain for breaking "mutual trust and respect", drawing parallels between the issues of Western Sahara and Spain's Catalonia region, where there is an independence movement. The dispute was sparked by Spain admitting Western Sahara independence movement…

May

2021

By The African Mirror

Morocco escalates row with Spain over Western Sahara

NEWS

MOROCCO’S ambassador to Madrid has press comments by the Spanish foreign minister undermined Moroccan territorial integrity and Rabat "would act accordingly", escalating a row that contributed to a migrant crisis in Spain's North African enclave. Brahim Ghali, head of the Polisario Front, whose hospitalisation in Spain has sparked tensions between Madrid and Rabat Morocco withdrew ambassador Karima Benyaich from Madrid last week for consultations over Spain's decision to host Brahim Ghali, head of the Western Sahara Polisario independence group, for medical treatment without informing Rabat. It also appeared to relax border controls with the Spanish enclave of Ceuta leading thousands…

May

2021

By The African Mirror

Morocco wants Polisario chief probed

NEWS

MOROCCO has urged Spain to open an investigation into the circumstances of a Western Sahara independence leader's arrival in the country for medical treatment and explain its findings to Rabat. Madrid should explain "the conditions, circumstances and connivances that led to the fraudulent entry of this person using false documents and a usurped identity," said Foreign Ministry Director General Fouad Yazourh. Spain's decision to host Polisario Front leader Brahim Ghali without telling Rabat while using what Morocco says are travel documents provided by Algeria and a false name, has angered Rabat, which regards Western Sahara as part of Morocco. The…

May

2021

By The African Mirror

Hope for an end to Spain-Morocco spat

NEWS

THE Spanish interior minister hopes a diplomatic spat with Morocco over an influx of illegal migrants into Spain's North African enclave of Ceuta would soon end. Morocco had appeared to loosen its border controls with Ceuta for two days on Monday, letting thousands of migrants pour into the enclave. The move was widely viewed as retaliation for Spain's hosting of Western Sahara independence leader Brahim Ghali. Spain has said Ghali was admitted as a COVID-19 patient to a Spanish hospital last month under an assumed name and an Algerian diplomatic passport for humanitarian reasons. "There was a disagreement (with Morocco)…

May

2021

By The African Mirror

Morocco blames Spain for migrant spat

NEWS

MOROCCAN Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita has blamed Spain for the diplomatic spat between the two countries and said mass migrant crossings from Morocco into the Spanish enclave of Ceuta this week were due to the weather and tired border guards. Morocco had appeared to loosen its border controls with Ceuta on Monday as thousands of migrants poured into the enclave, a move widely interpreted as retaliation for Spain's hosting of a Western Sahara independence leader. Speaking to Reuters, Spanish news agency Efe and Moroccan news agency MAP in a briefing, Bourita warned that Rabat would take a more assertive stance…

May

2021

By The African Mirror

Migrants clash with Spanish police

NEWS

MARIANO VALLADOLID and AHMED ELJECHTIMI HUNDREDS of migrants tried to force their way past tightened security into Ceuta yesterday, as Spain pressed on with the expulsion of thousands who had swum or climbed into its North African enclave over the past two days. Around two-thirds of the roughly 8,000 migrants who made it to Ceuta, including unaccompanied children, have been expelled, Spanish authorities say. Many of those sent back said they were determined to try again in their determination to reach Europe. As dense afternoon fog descended, hundreds of young men made a fresh attempt to approach the roughly six-metre-high…