The Diplomat in Spain

During the reception offered on Monday to commemorate the 19th anniversary of the enthronement of King Mohamed VI, the Moroccan Ambassador, Karima Benyaich (pictured above during her speech), suggested to strengthen what she described as «exemplary» anti-terrorist and against illegal immigration cooperation between Morocco and Spain.

In what was her first reception after taking office, Benyaich made an extensive review of the steps taken in recent years by the King to modernize Morocco and said that relations with Spain are «excellent». She also highlighted the strategic nature of these relations and the friendship between both Royal Houses, and thanked the numerous representatives of the Government and other Spanish institutions for their presence at the reception.

Among the attendees were the president of the Constitutional Court, Juan José González Rivas; the vice president of the Government, Carmen Calvo; the Minister of Agriculture and former Ambassador to Morocco, Luis Planas; the acting Ombudsman, Francisco Fernández Marugán; the president of the Council of State, María Teresa Fernández de la Vega; the secretaries of state for International Cooperation, Juan Pablo de Laiglesia; of Migrations, Consuelo Rumí; and Communication, MIguel Ángel Oliver; as well as several general directors of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and numerous ambassadors and businessmen.

The Ambassador dedicated part of her speech to the problem of migration, recalling that Morocco has gone from being a transit country to being also a host country, having regularized more than 52,000 people since 2013.

Benyaich acknowledged that difficult times are experienced due to the change in migration routes and the activity of human beings traffic mafias, but she was convinced that the difficulties could be overcome. In this regard, she stressed that Morocco has been designated by the UN to host the international conference that should approve the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration, the first UN document on the migration issue. The Ambassador indicated that this meeting, which will take place in Marrakech on December 10 and 11, is a «recognition» of Morocco’s role in this area.

On the other hand, she announced that in 2020 Spain will celebrate the Cultural Year of Morocco, in order to share with the Spanish people the richness and diversity of Moroccan cultural heritage.

Text: L. Ayllón / Photos: A. Rubio. 01/08/2018

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The President of the Council of State, María Teresa Fernández de la Vega, and acting Ombudsman, Francisco Fernández Marugán.

Mayor of Madrid, Manuela Carmena, and her husband, Eduardo Leira.

CNI’s director, Félix Sanz Roldán, with Atalayar’s website director, Javier Fernández Arribas.

Oman’s Ambassador, Kifaya Al Raisi; Iraq’s Chargé d’Affairs; Ali Shimran Hachem; Kuwait’s Ambassador, Sulaiman Al Harbi; and Libya’s Chargé d’Affairs, Walid Abuabdalla.

Ambassadors of Albania, Ridi Kurtezi; Indonesia, Hermono; Thailand, Rattikul Chansuriya; and Turkey, Ömer Önhon; with businessman Ali Evsen.

Foreign Affairs Ministry Chief of Protocol, María Sáenz de Heredia, and Casa Árabe’s Director, Pedro Martínez-Avial.

Serbia’s Ambassador, Katarina Lalic, with her Romania’s counterpart, Gabriela Dancau, and her husband, Constantin Dancau.

Lawyer Carlos Uriarte, with Uzbekistan’s Embassy First and Second Secretaries, Umid Yuldashev and Nabijon Kuvondikov.

Libya’s Chargé d’Affairs, Walid Abuabdalla, with political counsellor of Morocco’s Embassy, Imad Absaoui.

Oscar Bocos and Isabel Ruiz, of CEOE’s International Relations department.

A Moroccan folk group performed at the reception.