The President of the Canary Islands, Fernando Clavijo, is set to make his second visit to Morocco on Friday, October 25, leading a prominent delegation of government officials and over 30 experts and scientists. The visit aims to strengthen cooperation between the Canary Islands and Morocco across several fields.
In a statement to Assahifa, the office of the Canary Islands presidency described the delegation as “the most significant sent from a European region to Morocco to advance collaboration in various sectors.” President Clavijo’s visit seeks to continue fostering joint efforts with Morocco, particularly in areas of shared interest.
According to the Canary Islands government, the visit will begin at 9:30 AM on Friday, with the delegation's first stop at the Mohammed VI Polytechnic University, a crucial component of the agenda.
The Canary Islands government told Assahifa that the delegation will include representatives from institutions, universities, knowledge centers, and business leaders, aiming to strengthen ties in scientific, technological, and innovation projects. A key part of the visit will be a working session held at the university.
The government also revealed that this working session is intended to “advance shared goals and cooperation in addressing mutual challenges,” with multiple cooperation agreements expected to be signed in different sectors.
This visit comes just two weeks after Clavijo’s trip to the Moroccan capital, Rabat, on October 8, where he met with Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita to discuss cooperation, particularly in the area of migration.
During a press conference following the meeting, Clavijo praised Morocco’s role in curbing irregular migration to Spain and the European Union, noting that Morocco deploys thousands of its security forces for this purpose. He stated that without these efforts, the situation would be “unbearable.”
According to Spain’s state news agency, EFE, Clavijo emphasized that the migration crisis in Spain and the EU would be “intolerable” without Morocco’s “immense efforts” to combat irregular migration. He thanked Morocco for reducing the flow of migrants to the Canary Islands, most of whom come from the Sahel region, fleeing “hunger, war, climate change, and drought,” as he described it.
Clavijo stressed that “while there is always room for improvement, we must acknowledge the crucial role Morocco plays in maintaining political stability and control.” He further added that without Morocco’s “8,000 personnel dedicated to this mission, the situation would be unsustainable for Spain and the EU.”
