For the first time in over two years, a Spanish ferry has docked in Morocco.

Ferry traffic between the countries could only resume after Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez visited Morocco a few days ago to pour oil on the waves.

Traffic was halted in March 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic. A year later, Morocco became increasingly angry with Spain after Madrid allowed Brahim Ghali, leader of the Polisario independence movement, which is fighting for Western Sahara to become independent from Morocco, to be treated for COVID-19 in a Spanish hospital.

A month later, around 10,000 people crossed the border into the Spanish enclave of Ceuta, the EU's only land border with Africa. Critics say Morocco had eased border controls to put pressure on Spain, deepening the diplomatic crisis.

Since then, traffic between Tangier in Morocco and Algeciras and Tarifa in Spain has not been able to open.

But now passenger and freight traffic is once again running on the 14-kilometer stretch.

– This is a fantastic day, finally we can return after two years of absence, says passenger Hamid Elkhadri before disembarking in Morocco.

Source: TT