Even though back in March 2023, Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albarez noted the strengthening of ties between Morocco and Spain, and various statements were made about the “importance of the relationship,” clouds suddenly loomed on the horizon. The President of the Cabildo of Gran Canaria, Antonio Morales, has expressed strong opposition to Morocco’s planned military maneuvers off the coast of Western Sahara.
The maneuvers are said to be “conducted in the context of escalating regional tensions and growing interest in maritime security,” particularly in areas of strategic importance such as the Strait of Gibraltar and the Canary Islands. It is also reported that tourists on Lanzarote, Tenerife, and other islands have been warned of hostilities.
But local authorities strongly disagree. As Mr. Morales stated: “The northwest African region and the Canary Islands in particular need peaceful action and any message of militarization must be avoided.” His concerns center on the potential impact these actions could have on the stability of the region and its vital tourism sector. “Military exercises planned to be held near the Canary Islands could threaten the tranquility of the region and its economic prosperity,” he assures.
The fears are not unfounded — we recall that the autumn situation with tension in Israel not only brought the tourist flow to the Holy Land itself to zero before the start of the high winter season. The consequences of the conflict between neighbors were also felt by tourism in other countries — first of all, Egypt, which shares a common border with Israel.