Karima Benyaich, Morocco’s ambassador to Spain, returned to Madrid on Sunday, nearly a year after Rabat called her for consultations.

The Moroccan ambassador confirmed her return to Madrid in a statement to the Spanish News Agency.
After arriving in Madrid, Benyaich said, “It brings me great joy to return to work in Madrid and to build links between Spain and Morocco.”

Spain has finally backed Morocco’s autonomy plan for Western Sahara, according to a statement released by the Moroccan Royal Cabinet on Friday, effectively ending a nearly year-long diplomatic crisis between the two countries.

The President of the Spanish Government, Pedro Sánchez, highlighted in a statement to Moroccan King Mohammed VI that he “recognizes the gravity of the Sahara issue for Morocco.”

As a result, “Spain regards the Moroccan autonomy initiative, first proposed in 2007, as the most serious, realistic, and trustworthy basis for settling the conflict.”

“Morocco’s genuine and credible attempts inside the framework of the United Nations to establish a mutually acceptable settlement” appears to be the most realistic conclusion to the disagreement over the Kingdom’s southern provinces, according to Sanchez.

Morocco, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation, and Moroccans Abroad, “highly appreciates Spain’s positive positions and constructive commitments on the Moroccan Sahara issue contained in the message addressed to King Mohammed VI by the President of the Spanish Government, Pedro Sánchez.”

In this Address, King Mohammed VI called for “the beginning of a new era in our two countries’ ties, based on trust, transparency, mutual regard, and respect for agreements.”

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Julissa Reynoso, the US Ambassador to Spain, confirmed her country’s support for Morocco’s Sahara autonomy project, calling it “fair and practical.”
“The United States believes the Moroccan autonomy proposal for the Sahara is realistic and viable,” said Mrs. Reynoso, who was a guest on the Spanish radio station “Cadena Ser” on Saturday evening.
“During talks with the parties concerned, the United States is lobbying for this option,” the diplomat, a former assistant to US President Joe Biden, said.
“We support the United Nations-led mechanism to address this dispute, as well as Morocco’s initiative,” Ms. Reynoso stated.
Following Madrid’s decision to embrace the Moroccan autonomy offer as the only serious, practical, and sustainable solution to the regional dispute over the Moroccan Sahara, the American envoy stated on Spanish radio.
A US State Department Spokesperson informed the Spanish news agencies “EFE” and “Europa press” on Saturday that Washington shares Spain’s position on the Moroccan Sahara issue.
“We continue to consider the autonomy plan presented by Morocco as serious, credible and realistic” and which has a clear potential to meet the aspirations of the populations of the region, he declared.

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According to the government delegation of Melilla, at 9:30 am up to 2500 sub-Saharan African migrants and refugees tried to cross borders by jumping the fence with only 500 of them succeeding in doing so as the local authorities said.

This flux, called “salto masivo” by the local police of Melilla, is considered the largest ever. On Wednesday, Sabrina Moh, the representative of the Spanish government, has witnessed “live” this border-crossing attempt and was surprised it took place in “broad daylight”.

According to Europa Press, the migrants and refugees were “armed with hooks, sticks, and screws in their shoes and were throwing stones, which meant that they overtook the Moroccan security forces who were trying to prevent them from reaching the fence”.

Also, the Spanish government’s local delegation said “The great violence used by the migrants … overwhelmed the Moroccan security forces who were trying to prevent them from reaching the fence”.

The authorities said that a number of civil guards suffered “slight injuries” due to the act, and about 20 of the migrants have been transferred to the regional hospital.

Sabrina Moh highlighted the efforts and the collaboration between the Moroccan border guards and the Spanish Guardia Civil police.

This took place months after the influx that happened when up to 10,000 people have tried to cross into Ceuta territory in the midst of the Rabat-Madrid diplomatic crisis during May 2021.

During the past years, many attempts to jump the fence took place in Melilla’s borders. The largest amongst them was that of 2014 when about 1100 immigrants have tried to cross the fence with only 492 who managed to do so.

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