European Commissioner for the Environment, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Karmenu Vella was in Agadir, Morocco on Wednesday 15 February for the opening of the 4th Halieutis trade fair (15-19 February) which goes by the theme: "The fishing sector, a challenge for sustainable development". Vella's visit will start, not surprisingly, with the subject of the day: the clear risk to the fisheries agreement, and more generally, to Euro-Moroccan cooperation linked to the outcome of the Western Sahara. A "technical solution" will reportedly be sought in order to circumvent the European Court of Justice ruling on this subject.
A "Halieutis plan" will be presented including 16 strategic projects that are "economically viable, socially acceptable and ecologically responsible". France will be the "featured country" because it is "the second biggest maritime power in the world (and) a major actor that strongly encourages all actions in favour of sustainable development", the fair's organisers state.
The Halieutis fair shows "the resolve to raise the maritime fisheries sector to the rank of engine for economic and social growth", Morocco's Minister for Agriculture and Maritime Fisheries Aziz Akhannouch stated. He spoke of "Morocco's ambition (which) is not only to develop its fisheries sector sustainably, but to make it a real lever for shared growth with its terrestrial environment". This is an objective that is shared by the EU.
Meetings have been announced between Vella and Akhannouch. These will be about subjects specifically linked to fisheries, but doubtless also linked to the follow-up to be given to the European Court of Justice ruling on 21 December 2016 on the Western Sahara (see EUROPE 11694). The words of European Commissioner for Climate Action and Energy Miguel Arias Cañete on the separate status of this territory, even when later corrected by High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini (see EUROPE 11721), leave this issue open and at the forefront of current events. The EU and Morocco are trying to find the legal means of circumventing the constraint resulting from the Court of Justice ruling not including the Sahrawi territory in that of Morocco. The Polisario still has a second complaint at the Court (T-180/14) introduced in May 2014. The General Court suspended dealing with this case as the case for which the ruling is now known was under way (C-104/16). The influence of the latter case is reportedly direct and could make it pointless continuing the first.
In a letter to the Europeans this Wednesday, the Polisario hails Cañete's words, but says, through its representative to the EU, Mohamed Sidati, that it is "deeply concerned by the partisan behaviour" of Mogherini, whose actions "deliberately overlook the issue of the Western Sahara and Morocco’s systematic human rights abuses". In its letter, the Polisario urges "EU leaders and member states to act constructively" for a solution to the conflict and to safeguard the territory's resources.
Spain is the main beneficiary of fisheries agreements with Morocco and is trying to clear the ground. On 13 February, it sent its Minister for Foreign Affairs Alfonso Dastis to Rabat. Spain believes it is the "weak link" and "fears being the first victim" of the crisis, if it lasts, the Spanish newspaper el Confidential reports. Its fear focuses on fisheries but also on the risk of a breakdown in the cooperation on the control of migrants and on the region's security. "Spanish diplomacy does not predict a long life for the fisheries agreement", el Confidential states in a long article on the subject covering the minister's visit. A "technical solution" is sought, given that the subject is not bilateral, but Euro-Moroccan, the Spanish news agency Europapress states. (Original version in French by Fathi B’Chir)