Morocco

Morocco has started one of the most ambitious projects in the history of Africa

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Morocco has begun to build its stretch of the Nigeria-Charuecos gas pipeline (NMGP), a megaproject of 25,000 million dollars that stands out not only for its scale, but for its geopolitical implications. The energy map of Africa and its connections with Europe will change. A 6,000 km corridor. Moroccan Energy Transition Minister Leila Benali, announced the start of the works. The stretch of Morocco will cost about 6,000 million dollars, and will serve as the future dorsal spine of the Kingdom Gasist Network. This initial segment will connect the port of Nador, on the Mediterranean coast, with the city of Dajla, to the south of the country. The entire Transaphrican gas pipeline will be extended through the Atlantic coast to connect Nigeria’s vast gas reserves with Morocco. From there, it will be exported to the European market, confirming Rabat as a first level energy hub. A pharaonic project. The infrastructure is designed to transport up to 30,000 million cubic meters of natural gas per year and guarantee the supply of 13 African countries. The gas pipeline will leave from Nigeria, crossing the coasts of Benin, Togo, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Guinea, Guinea-Bisáu, Gambia, Senegal, Mauritania and Morocco. In addition to promoting industrial development and access to the energy of 400 million people, NMGP foresees Extend the supply to the European Gasist Network Already African countries without coast: Niger, Burkina Faso and Mali. Engineering studies They ended in 2024the environmental and social impact analysis of the southern section are missing. And the Algeria gas pipeline? The project directly rivals the Transaharan gas pipeline (TSGP), The initiative backed by Algeria to bring the same Nigerian gas to Europe through Niger. However, political instability in Sahel, especially after the coup d’etat in Niger, has put the viability of the Algerian corridor in serious trouble, granting a strategic advantage to the Atlantic route of Morocco. Where 25,000 million will come from. For Nigeria, the gas pipeline is the cornerstone of its “Gas Decade” initiativea strategy to monetize national reserves of six billion cubic meters of natural gas. For Morocco, the project is the spearhead of its “Atlantic Initiative”, which seeks to turn the country into a strategic corridor between Europe, Africa and the Atlantic. Ensuring 25,000 million dollars is the main obstacle. The project will make a final decision on the investment at the end of 2025 that will be the fire test, although it has already aroused the interest of entities such as the Islamic Development Bank and the European Investment Bank. How to protect thousands of kilometers of pipes that will cross 13 nations, some with unstable political environments and doubtful security, will be one of the great discussion points. The fact that investing in fossil fuel infrastructure In full green transition it is the elephant in the room. Image | NNPC In Xataka | The US has had an idea to feed its AI: build its data centers next to natural gas deposits

The Canary Islands will tend an underwater cable to Morocco. If Morocco decides to extend it, Spain will have a problem

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An underwater cable of 49 million euros will connect the Canary Islands with Africa, but it will stop just where the legal problem begins: the border of the Western Sahara. What is happening. The Ring of the East islands will first join Gran Canaria, Lanzarote and Fuerteventura with the latest generation fiber. Then it will jump to the African continent, to Tarfaya, the last Moroccan city before the West Sahara. The Canarian government It has been clear: “The cable goes to Tarfaya, it has nothing to do with Western Sahara.” But Morocco has other plans. His government wants to extend that connection to what he calls his “South Provinces”, the euphemism with which he refers to the Saharawi territory since 1975, when Spain abandoned it. Why is it important. Submarine cables are Internet highways. 99% of data traffic between continents travels through them. This project promises to make the Canary Islands a digital node between Europe and Africa. But there is a huge legal problem. The EU Court of Justice considers any economic activity in the Western Sahara without consent of the Polisario Front, recognized by the UN as representative of the Saharawi people. And the Polisario He has already warned: If the cable reaches Saharawi territory, they will go to court. The context. Since Pedro Sánchez supported the Moroccan Autonomy Plan for Sahara in 2022Spain tries to maintain the balance between its economic interests with Morocco and its international legal obligations. This cable puts that test balance. If the infrastructure that Spain finances with European funds ends up facilitating Moroccan expansion in Sahara, could splash Spain with legal problems in European courts. The money trail. The construction has already begun with these numbers: 49 million total budget. 20 million provided by the European Investment Bank. Additional 7.5 million for connection with Tarfaya. In February, Canalink technicians – the Canarian public company that leads the project— Tarfaya visited to study the land and design the submarine layout. The cable will be manufactured in 2025 and will be deployed in 2026. The precedent. It is not the first time that Canary Islands connect with Morocco. Since 2011 There is a cable with Asilahin the north of the country. But that did not generate any controversy because it is far from the territory in dispute. This is different. It reaches the same border of the Sahara. And even if technically stops there, it creates the perfect basis for Morocco to complete what European companies cannot do directly by legal restrictions. The threat. The Polisario Front has a history of victories in European courts. He has lying fishing agreements and agriculture between the EU and Morocco for including resources from the Sahara without its consent. “We will carry out any action to guarantee the rights of the Saharawi people,” He said Abdulah Arabi, representative of the Polisario in Spain. A data cable would be your next goal if you cross the border. And now what. The project will continue because Canary Islands need this connection. The ESSI Spain will be able to maintain the legal fiction that its responsibility ends in Tarfaya. If Morocco extends the cable to the Sahara using the base infrastructure financed with European money, Spain could be found in the midst of another conflict between its economic interests and its obligations with the territory that it abandoned 50 years ago. And this time it will not be for fishing or phosphates, but for the control of the data between two continents. In Xataka | The Google Maps of submarine cables: an imposing interactive map that allows us to know the skeleton of the modern world Outstanding image | TelefónicaGoogle Maps

The renewed interest of the United States in recognizing the sovereignty of Morocco about Sahara has a name: phosphate

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For years, the Western Sahara conflict was in a corner of the international debate: present, but silenced. However, he has returned strongly to the global stage. The reason is not only diplomatic, but economic. Behind the renewed support From US President Donald Trump to Morocco there is a key resource that moves interests and borders: phosphate. More than a statement. The support of the United States is not new. During his first term, Donald Trump has already recognized Moroccan sovereignty about Western Sahara, in exchange for Morocco established diplomatic relations with Israel as part of Abraham’s agreements. According to Reutersthe president has recently reiterated his position in a letter addressed to King Mohammed VI, reaffirming Washington’s recognition over the territory. Under the sand. There are tangible reasons behind this growing support and is under the ground: phosphate. Morocco is the second world producer of phosphates, After Chinaand controls 70% of world reserves. About 8% of national production comes from the Western Sahara, specifically from the Phosboucraa mine, According to data collected by Swissinfo. This mineral is essential for the production of fertilizers, key to modern agriculture. It cannot be manufactured artificially, and its shortage makes it a strategic resource. How BBC has warnedworld food security depends largely on phosphorus. After the war in Ukraine and the crisis in supply chains, its value has shot. In that context, Morocco has gained international influence. A trade under scrutiny. But there is a problem: the Western Sahara is considered by the UN a non -autonomous territory pending decolonization. AND According to international lawany exploitation of its resources must have the consent of the Saharawi people, represented by the Polisario Front. That consent, until now, has not arrived. Therefore, the Polisario has opted for a legal offensive. In recent years, it has managed to block ships with Saharawi phosphate in ports of South Africa, Panama or New Zealand. At least fifteen international companies have stopped buying it, fearing litigation or reputational damage, According to BBC. An economic boom that redraws the map. Beyond phosphate, Morocco is strongly committed to an economic transformation of Western Sahara. According to Bloombergthe country has launched an investment strategy for more than 10,000 million dollars. One of the star projects is Dakhla’s Atlantic port, valued at 1.2 billion, which seeks to position itself as a logistics axis between Africa, Europe and Latin America. That is not all, because other projects are added as a one billion highway towards Tangier, wind farms, tourist complexes and green hydrogen plants. According to Mounir Houari, director of the Regional Investment Agency, Interviewed in BloombergThe objective is that the region goes from 1% to 6% of national GDP in the next 15 years. And the Saharawi? While Morocco transforms Western Sahara with millionaire investments, the people are still waiting for a political solution. For years, tens of thousands have lived in refugee camps in Algeria, in precarious conditions, far from the decisions taken over their territory. In parallel, international organizations They denounce that Saharawi cannot participate freely in decisions that affect their territory. As long as this right is not guaranteed, international legality Keep questioning The legitimacy of the exploitation of resources in the region. A wound still open. While the world observes phosphate as a strategic resource to feed the planet, who live on the earth that produces them expect something simpler: be heard. Because the same mineral that makes the fields grow also feeds a conflict that, despite the passage of time, remains without healing. Image | Unspash Xataka | China goes for those who mock their export controls. The focus is in strategic minerals that sustain their power

Italian workers have entered anger through Stellantis’s investments. Those who have taken Morocco, specifically

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Stellantis will invest in Morocco. A lot (very much) money. And that will have consequences in your investments in Europe. Especially in Italy where they aspired to see an approach of the company after the departure of Carlos Tavares. Now workers and politicians see how they will continue to vain in favor of North Africa. 1.2 billion. That is the Investment announced by Stellantis For Morocco. 1.2 billion euros that will be distributed in the country to expand the productive capacity of its plant in Kenitra, Morocco, to 535,000 cars per year. That means putting the country’s factory At the height of Vigo’sone of the company’s historical (before PSA). In recent years, Stellantis investments in Morocco have been constant. In fact, the company He began his journey on Moroccan soil in 2019 And in 2020 I was manufacturing just over 200,000 units. In 2030, the forecast is to exceed those more than half a million vehicles produced. Cheap. Stellantis’s intention has been, so far, of factories cheap options for the local market and its expansion by Europe. With the new agreement, the company has also announced that will manufacture hybrid engines in Africaa way to lower its offer of electrified vehicles. Later the known as Smart Car will arrive. This motorist production and three -wheel vehicles will be added to the current production of light grids. The company produces in Morocco Citroën Ami either Fiat Topolino. The latter were reason for controversy to include a flag of Italy which prevented its sale in the country Transalpino because the use of it is limited to products manufactured within its borders. A constant fight. This was just another episode of the open war between Stellantis and Italy. The automobile group It has Italian companies that historically they have had a great weight in the country: Fiat or Alfa Romeo, but also Lancia, Maserati or Abarth, who was born as the sports division of the first of them. Despite this, Stellantis has leaving aside the production of cars in the country. In recent years their layoffs have been famous in Italy and in 2024 the trend was confirmed: 70 years ago that Italian brands in possession of Stellantis did not produce so few cars in the country. The reasons are varied but are distributed between high productive costs and the way to get into the European emission rules. An effort that the company based on fuelmake more electrified And even Pausar Those who were not despite being the best selling. Finally, the automobile industry paws fines until 2027 with a last minute agreement. Italian anger. The departure of Carlos Tavares seemed to give a respite to Italian workers. Or at least, the decision to put Antonio Filosa (Italian) at the head of the company was seen as an approach to a country that had gone from having Fiat as one of its flags Let’s see how your plants They entered the auction to produce Chinese cars. Stellantis’s movement to invest more money in Morocco to the detriment of cars that could have been manufactured in Italy has raised Polvareda in the country. The toughest have been the members of the Government. In Panorama They point out that these have described the Moroccan investment as “absurd”, emphasizing that “for decades, the company has lived the money delivered by the Italian public coffers.” Of course, in the middle they qualify the “predictable” reaction. Also Carlo Cardone, from Azione, He has claimed John Elkannpresident of Stellantis, who complies with The Italian plan That the company put on the table and of which, they point out, no results have been seen, qualifying the movement of “the nth mockery” towards the country by Stellantis. And, at the same time, Samuele Lodi, spokesman for the FIOM union, stressed that investments From Stellantis in Italy they are freezing, they point to the inactivity of the government and emphasize that the situation (with the company) the situation has not changed, but has worsened. “And it emphasizes:” It is the confirmation that they look the other way. “ Smart Car. The harsh statements from Italy take strength after knowing that Stellantis’s investment will imply giving work to 3,000 employees and that it is estimated that the economic impact in the region can exceed 6,000 million euros, taking into account the component supply network from which they have to use. All this will be necessary to build the already mentioned light quadricycles, new three -wheeled electric vehicles and their most affordable hybrid options in the market such as the Fiat Grande Panda or the Citroën C3 whose low price must be decisive for face Chinese competition. Morocco takes strength. All these plans strengthen the Moroccan position as an African car. To Stellantis’s plans we must add the production that Renault has in the country But, above all, the steps that are taking place in the country to position yourself as an alternative attractive to produce electric cars. Morocco is in a key position. Its proximity to Europe allows a distribution that does not more expensive. At the same time, its commercial agreements with the European Union make it a cheap alternative to the south of them but without the economic barriers that it implies, for example, to bring cars from China. In fact, The Asian country itself is promoting investments In Morocco to try to turn the country into a bridge to Europe. Photo | Stellantis and Jack Walker In Xataka | The straps in oil completely sank Stellantis’s reputation. But it wasn’t the only

Spain goes with such delay in floating wind that its neighbors are being advanced: Morocco and Portugal

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The industry begins to get impatient. It has been almost a year since it was approved Royal Decree 962/2024designed to give the exit gun to the marine wind in Spain. However, the ministerial order that must regulate the first auction has not yet seen the light, and there is also no official calendar with the next steps. In a sector that advances to the rhythm of the wind, the lack of movement begins to weigh. Short. The Wind Business Association (AEE) and the Marine Wind Forum have joined forces to launch a overwhelming message to the government: either, investments will end in other countries. In a joint statementthey have claimed the immediate publication of the bases of the auction and a schedule that gives medium and long term visibility. While Spain is still waiting, Portugal, France or Morocco advance with defined models and concrete projects. A more complex problem. According to AEElack of advances could cost Spain to create more than 7,500 jobs in coastal areas and stop contributing more than 2,000 million euros per year to GDP. In addition, the opportunity to lead a key technology such as floating wind –in which Spain has been a pioneer with world reference prototypes– It could evaporate if a minimum local market is not established. Spain has toilet industrial capabilities, appropriate port infrastructure, demonstrated technological experience – as the first floating prototype developer of the world – and Suitable areas identified in the planning plans of the maritime space (poem). But all that, without a local market that guarantees volume and continuity, is at risk. It has been stretching. In February of this year, the Minister for Ecological Transition, Sara Aagesen, announced that the Government would launch the first marine wind auction in 2025 and that an order would be published with the bases, According to the newspaper five days. Also The goal was reaffirmed to reach the 3 GW capacity installed in 2030, as established by the National Integrated Energy and Climate Plan (PNIEC). But, today, the order has not gone to public consultation. And that is the first stone to launch any auction. From the sector, they denounce that there are no objective reasons that justify the delay and fear that the promises of auctions “in 2025” become another lost year. A wind leak. The main stumbling block is the lack of firm signs and a detailed roadmap. This has caused various companies –As AEE has warned– They are starting to divert their investments to other countries that offer greater certainty and speed. On the other hand, in neighboring countries the situation is being very different. For example, Portugal is about to define Your auction model. France has awarded Already a great project in the Mediterranean and prepares five more parks in the Vizcaya Gulf. Morocco, meanwhile, has presented A 1,000 MW project on the Atlantic coast for 2029. Meanwhile, Spain is still not a single marine kilowatt in commercial operation. Of the 278 MW of floating wind installed worldwide, according to data from the Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC) June 2025, none is in Spain, although the country has been key in the construction of 100%exported components. In addition, the wind sector also claims that IDAE (Institute for Diversification and Saving Energy) be unlocked to modernize key infrastructure such as the ports of A Coruña, Castellón or Tarragona. Without those logistics nodes ready, the value chain weakens. The look in the Canary Islands. It has profiled as the ideal territory to launch this first pilot auction. The archipelago has a constant winda consolidated logistics chain, political and social consensus, and a high electricity generation cost that could be drastically reduced with marine wind. For AEECanary Islands is the “logical spearhead” to start the commercial development of this technology. Forecasts. The sector expects the Ministry to publish as soon as possible the public consultation for the Ministerial Order and define a clear calendar of upcoming auctions. Meanwhile, the global context does not expect. According to the Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC), the offshore market grew by 10% in 2024, reaching 83.2 GW installed. Spain is still in time to occupy a prominent place in the European leadership of the floating marine wind. But the opportunity window narrows. The ads are not enough: concrete decisions, clear regulation and political will are needed. Otherwise, the country runs the risk of seeing how others assume that strategic role. And with this, lose not only investment and employment, but a key opportunity to reindustrialize the economy and advance the energy transition. Image | Unspash Xataka | In Peru, a company has had an idea to take wind energy directly to your home: turbines as a lay way

Spain has become so expensive that the British are starting to choose another place for their vacations: Morocco

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When years ago a British family began to plan their summer vacation could doubt with the dates, the accommodation, with which airline flying or what clothes to put in The suitcase; But in many (many) cases what had no discussion was destiny: They were traveling to Spain. Especially to the Mediterranean coast, Balearic Islands or Canary Islands, where they were looking for sun, heat, beach, good landscapes and better food. Now that decision is no longer so clear and increasingly British choose to fly to somewhat more southern latitudes, to North Africa. The reason is simple: the price increase is leading them to change Catalonia and the Balearic Islands for Tunisia or Morocco. Issue of expenses. British tourists like Spain. A lot. And that is easy to check. He arrives with a walk through the Canary Islands, Catalonia, Balearic Islands or the Costa Blanca (to name a few destinations) or take a look at the INE data: in 2024 the flow of tourists from the United Kingdom grew 6.6% until adding 18.4 million travelers, which allowed Spain to close the year with A record of almost 94 million foreign visitors. The influx of tourists is nevertheless the only thing that grows in the sector. They also do the rates. Latest National Price Index It shows that so far this year, hostels, pensions and accommodation services have become sensitive to each other until they are placed almost 7% above a year ago. If we look back the increase is even more pronounced. RTVE Calculate that from the pandemic the hotels have increased more than 50%. Looking north of Africa. With that price increase as a backdrop and despite the considerable pull of Spain in the British market, more and more families in the United Kingdom opt for alternative destinations (and cheaper) in which to spend your vacation. And in that search they end up looking north of Africa, places like Egypt, Tunisia or Morocco. The trend was verified A few days ago The newspaper Daily Mail, although it is not really new. The sector It has been verifying how English tourists are responding to the rise in prices of Spain or Portugal Looking for more southern alternatives, in North Africa. At the end of 2024 Mirror I already reported that there were British families who were changing the Canary Islands to Egypt to enjoy their winter vacations. A percentage: 39%. Beyond the statements of the agencies and tour operators, there are a series of data that help to understand the growing interest arouses North Africa among British travelers. For example, Booking has proven that between January and May searches related to Tunisia on their platform have fired 68% compared to the same months of 2024. In the case of Egypt they have grown 64% and in that of Morocco 39%. And it is not only about plans, desires or forecasts in the medium or long term. The change is already underway. This same summer the tui uk platform has registered 30% more reservations for Egypt that a year ago. In the case of Tunisia, growth also reaches double digit and the company also recognizes a strong demand for Morocco. More interest, more flights. British airlines have quickly captured that interest and have not taken long to act accordingly, reinforcing their connections with the continent. This year it is expected that the United Kingdom airports take off 19,847 flights destined to North Africa, more than double the 8,653 registered operations before the pandemic. The connections with Spain and Portugal will also grow, but to a much lesser extent: just 10 and 9%. In that new context Morocco also plays with an extra advantage: proximity. A British who wants to fly to Alicante must invest about two and a half hours on the flight. If you want to go to Cairo the trip will last much more (almost double), but if you choose to move between London and Marrakech the journey will not reach four hours. Is there so much price difference? Yes. For a British traveling to Tunisia or Morocco translates into more flight hours, but in his favor he has the cost of accommodation. EUROWEEKLY has made calculations and assures That a seven night stay in Agadir, to the south of the country, costs about 889 pounds per person while other similar packages to stay in Mediterranean destinations in Europe, such as Marbella, Santorini or Mykonos, requires Between 1,000 and 2,700 pounds. “There is a trend, especially in the family segment, towards cheaper destinations,” explained In December a Mirror Sebastien Ebel, executive director of Tui Group, after checking how more and more people were choosing to spend their winter vacations in Egypt instead of the Canary Islands. Already by then Easyjet Holidays found an increase in demand in other African destinations, including Morocco. Prices … and something else. That more and more British imagine spending their vacations in Tunisia or Morocco instead of in the Balearic Islands or Canary Islands not only explains by the price difference. In play more factors enter. For example, the ‘democratization’ of the tourism market, with a growing group of travelers who do not give up their country despite having adjusted budgets. “We frequently see new customers with less income, but still want to travel with budgets of 800 pounds. If they do not find it in Spain, they look for alternatives,” Ebel points out. Another key is what tourists are in Tunisia, Morocco or Egyptwarm destinations, with a rich heritage, beaches, landscapes and a hotel sector that has been put the batteries In recent years and offers options that are not far from which British can be found in Spain or Portugal. The new trend also coincides with protestsIn certain points of the country, such as Balearics either Cataloniaof residents tired of the impact of mass tourism. Images | Heidi Kaden (UNSPLASH) and Calin Stan (UNSPLASH) In Xataka | The north of Spain has been complaining about mass tourism for years. Asturias has discovered … Read more

In 2015, Catar’s ex-emir fractured a leg in Morocco. So his nine Boeing 747 private set for Switzerland

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In December 2015, an incident starring the ex-emir of Qatar, Hamad Bin Khalifa Al Thani, exposed to what extent the deployment of Media of a real family. What began with a fall in the mountains of Morocco ended up collapsing the Zurich airport with the arrival of nine Private Boeing 747 In the middle of the night they needed a special permit of the Swiss airport authority to land. This episode, beyond the anecdotal, reveals how protocols and infrastructure that surrounds large fortunes can Mobilize resources on a difficult scale to imagine to The common of mortals. As in THE THEORY OF CHAOSthe effect of a fall in Morocco put a serious squeeze to Swiss air controllers. A real accident in Morocco During the December 2015 vacationsSheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al Thani, who was Emir from Qatar since 1995 and father of the country’s current leader, suffered an accident in the Atlas mountains, in Morocco. The 63 -year -old millionaire at that time fractured a leg while enjoying a snow vacation, As reported In your day Morocco World News. However, the severity of the injury that caused the fall led the EMIR personal medical team to recommend its immediate transfer to Switzerland to be operated there. The ex -president was evacuated to a Swiss hospital where he could receive medical attention more advanced and specialized for recovery. The evacuation was carried out aboard one of the Boeing 747 that the Catarí royal family uses as a private jet. The problem is that the emir never travels alone. Eight Boeing 747 more were needed. That is, one delegation formed by nine aircraftif we have the one that transported the former Hamad Bin Khalifa to the Thani. In Zurich they did not believe it As Everything that happens Around the Catarí royal family, the transfer of the former emir was not a simple private flight. Six of the airplanes took away immediately from Doha to Zurich destination, to support the transfer of the president, while the other three remaining were part of the personal entourage of the patriarch of the Al Thani clan. According to public The GuardianZurich-Kloten airport controllers were quickly overwhelmed at the presence of nine aircraft asking to land in the middle of the night due to the medical emergency of their most illustrious passenger. In just a few hours, a total of nine Boeing 747 operated by Qatar Amiri Flight, the family’s exclusive airline Al thani requested to take land at the Swiss airport. The situation was so exceptional That the Swiss authorities had to grant a special permit for airplanes to land outside the allowed schedule, since Zurich-Kloten airport prohibits night air traffic so as not to disturb local residents. The simultaneous arrival of so many private jets for a medical emergency was an unprecedented event in the Swiss city. Obviously, as they counted in Luxurylaunchesthis aerial deployment not only responded to the need to transfer the patient, but to mobilize all his entourage. Among the passengers of the nine Boeing 747 the private medical team of the Sheikh, the family security personnel, personal, family assistants, etc. was traveling etc. Each plane had a specific purpose, from transporting medical equipment to guaranteeing the comfort and safety of all companions of the ex-emir during their stay in Switzerland. The private fleet of the Thani family: more than a luxury Beyond the anecdotal of mobilizing nine aircraft that in their commercial configuration are able to transport 400 people, the private fleet of the family to Thani is part of an infrastructure designed to guarantee the mobility and well -being of its members in any circumstance. These nine Boeing 747 are not simple private jets: inside they have medical suites, private rooms and, in some cases, gyroestabilized hospital beds that keep the patient stable during the flight. The luxury and sophistication level of these aircraft exceeds any usual standard. All this, adorned and splashed with the most exclusive luxuries, which makes these planes authentic flying palaces capable of responding to any emergency or need of the Catarí royal family. In Xataka | A single millionaire spent on his luxury vacation in Mallorca the equivalent of 10,000 tourists: the Emir de Catar In Xataka | Mark Zuckerberg has sent his two supereyates at 8,500 km only for one reason: climb to a helicopter and lower it skiing Image | Wikimedia Commons (Mehmet Mustafa çelik), Flickr (ITU PICTURES, Alan Wilson)

Spain made the subsidies covered to Ryanair an art. Now another country follows its path: Morocco

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Ryanair will stop offering 800,000 places This summer of 2025 in Spain. It was an announcement that fell like a bomb in the middle of the dispute that government and airline have open in relation to the rates that Aena charges the companies that operate in their airports. According to Ryanair, Las Aena rates They are abusive and from the company that manages Spanish airports they defend themselves ensuring that they are essential to guarantee, among other services, the security or cleaning of the facilities. The problem is that Aena had these frozen rates from 2021 and thus had to remain until 2026. However, last year they rose and although The CNMC frozen the rate againnow companies pay 4.9% more than before. In the middle of the dispute, Ryanair was also fined by the State for breaching, in his opinion, the regulations of the hand luggage. Together with other low-cost companies such as Vueling, Norweigan, Easyjet or Volotea, the Irish company was punished but it was also the one that took the worst part: a sanction of 107.78 million euros. This cluster of circumstances led the company to press where it hurts the most in Spanish air mobility: Provinces airports. Ryanair announced that he partially abandoned the airports of Vigo, Santiago, Zaragoza, Asturias and Santander. But, above all, he announced that he was completely left by Jerez and Valladolid. The movement has not been there because In its February statementRyanair already announced that he considered taking action in the same direction if the context did not change. A threat that has recently reiterated. However, then Eddie Wilson, his CEO, already pointed out that “Aena’s decision not to encourage airlines to use the missed capacity of their regional airports has forced Ryanair to relocate aircraft and capacity in more competitive European markets, such as Italy, Sweden, Croatia, Hungary and Morocco, where governments encourage actively growth. “ Now we check the consequences. Empty seats “Ryanair’s airplanes They will attend where there is business opportunity, whether by direct market or by public subsidy. “This is how Víctor P. currás summarizes in The Faro de Vigo The situation with which they have been found in the Galician city with the 61% reduction of the activity of the Irish company in its city. When Wilson pointed out that they would fly to countries “where governments incentive” did not lie. Ryanair has closed a line between Vigo and Barcelona that maintained an average occupation of 90% in favor of a New route to Morocco where just 9% of the seats are busy. These flights are those corresponding to the route that Ryanair has opened with origin in Madrid or Lanzarote and destination Daklha, a Moroccan city in the Sahara that is trying to promote itself as an active tourism. It is another measure within a project you want Transform the city into an economic complex reference in the area. The intention is to turn the city into a showcase for the world during the 2030 World Cup (What Morocco shares with Spain). This is the reason why Ryanair flies with such a low occupation to the Moroccan city. Fatim-Zahra Ammor, Minister of Tourism of Morocco, announced the arrival of the company A few months ago. Behind, obviously, a juicy subsidy in the form of an advertising contract for Ryanair. They collect in the Galician environment that the occupation rate has been poor. The best data has arrived from Madrid with just over 50% occupation. However, the reserved places have been deflating on the Route of Lanzarote to the point of not even reaching 10% of the total offer. This way of acting is nothing less new. In fact, in eldiario.es They explained well that the subsidies camouflaged as advertising contracts to keep the routes in provincial airports alive are a constant for years. By suppuerto, Ryanair has benefited in this way to act. Three examples. The Cantabria government delivered 18 million euros in public promotion to Ryanair. Vigo maintained a route with London in exchange for a disbursement of 625,000 euros in the form of an advertising contract. With the suppression of this connection, Vigo wants sanction the airline with more than 17,000 euros for breaking the contract unilaterally. In 2019, Ryanair maintained routes in Spain by value of 239 million euros of public moneyaccording to ELECONOMIST. Ryanair now applies in Morocco the same formula he has applied in Spain. The company has used Spanish airports in the provinces to press and, aware that New aircraft will not reach them In the short term, these advertising contracts are especially juicy when reorganizing their routes. Photo | Nastya Dulhiier In Xataka | Ryanair does not “fine” if you lose your flight: simply relieved you in the following for a cost of 100 euros

Spain has been leading the Mediterranean avocado for years, but now there is someone who disputes the throne: Morocco

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There are always avocados in supermarkets. And no, it is not a miracle. It is globalization: Right now, the Spanish avocado season, Portuguese Moroccan is over. There is still some Israeli avocado in the market, but it is a matter of time that the shelves of the supermarkets are filled with Peruvian, Brazilian, South African or Kenyan avocados. It is the world turning without stopping. It is time to analyze that these months have passed. And there are surprises. Or maybe the word is not ‘surprises’. “They want to cry when you see this”, José Linares said just over a year agoPresident of Trops, the great Malaga producer of avocados and mangoes. It was not for less. This 2023, the subtropical coast of Granada lost almost 90% of mango and avocado crops. For its part, almost half of the billing has been lost in Malaga. 2024 did not seem to solve the situation. Above all, because one of the first relays of Spanish avocado, the Peruvian, was going to suffer in a very intense way the effects of El Niño. And then Morocco arrived. While in Spain the trees dried, Morocco had almost perfect weather conditions: dry and warm minimum winds, absence of storms and water. That, added to the increase in the cultivated area and the maturation of the trees, made Production will increase by 30,000 tons50% more than the previous campaign. That collapsed the price and hit national producers hard. Therefore, the big question is what will happen now. Above all, because there is some tranquility (even euphoria) among Spanish farmers when seeing so full swamps. However, as with the oil, everyone assumes that there are part of the consumers who will not return. How will that international balance look? In this sense, As Freshplaza collectedFrançois Bellivier de Capexo is clear. “Morocco has been very popular this year, with a very good quality campaign and products of very good quality. If Moroccan production continues on this path, and if important weather catastrophes are not produced, this origin should be done with a large part of the market in the coming years.” The Moroccan unknown. Bellivier’s conditional is not free. It is true that agriculture is A vital sector for Morocco’s economybut inevitably faces the same challenges as in Spain: shortage of water, climate change and environmental degradation. So while the Alauita country The European market floods with its productsinternal tensions They keep growing (Invisibilized by a political system unable to faithfully represent the interests of its population). Therefore, the great unknown is how long it will be able to contain the socioecological problems in the medium-long term. Something that, in full crisis of tariffs, is even more critical. Image | Gil Ndjouwou | After Moiz In Xataka | Morocco has given Israel 34,000 km² of the Atlantic for gas exploitation. The problem: they are waters in conflict with Spain

Spanish companies interested in green hydrogen have found a very succulent destination to invest: Morocco

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Morocco aspires that renewable energies Represent 52% of its capacity installed in 2030. At this time its percentage is 45%so, to get to the estimated, he wants to achieve it through green hydrogen. Among the companies selected to lead this initiative are Spanish companies. The project. A Moroccan Government Committee has selected five consortiums to develop six green hydrogen projects which will allow the production of ammonia, steel and industrial fuel. The investment has reached a total of 319,000 million Dírhams (32.5 billion dollars), which includes the participation of companies from different countries, including Spain: ACCIONA and CEPSA. This meeting enters within the framework of the “offer of Morocco”, where these works will take place in the three provinces of southern Morocco, which include the areas of Dakhla-Rio de Oro, LaAyoune-Sakia El Hamra and Guelmim-Noun, all located in the Occupied Western Sahara. The agreement with Europe. We all know that Europe is going through a deep crisis with The gas situation. Recently, the possible reopening of the controversial Nord Stream 2 creates more headaches, because He will get caughtbetween the United States and Russia. However, the EU member states are still sought alternatives to supply gas and there Green hydrogen. Morocco You have seen a chance To participate in the Green Pact of the European Unionwhereby an objective of importing 10 million tons of renewable hydrogen is established by 2030. In this way the Norafrican country becomes a key actor for the EU. An investment with contradictions. Despite Morocco’s attraction as a partner in the energy transition, Your recent decision To give to Israel 34,000 km² in the Atlantic for gas exploitation has generated a strong controversy in Spain. This measure has aroused diplomatic tensions, since the ceded waters could conflict with areas of interest with the Iberian country. In addition, Spain has different points in its green hydrogen orography becoming a direct rival. In fact, almost 40% of the 5,200 MW In hydrogen projects presented in Europe they come from Spain. The problem is even bigger. However, the projects are not free of controversy and that the Moroccan government has announced that it will offer up to 30,000 hectares of land to each project once a preliminary agreement is signed for the construction of electrolysis plants. The territory where They will operate is a disputed area And now the Spanish companies, acts and Cepsa, will work in this area, which could increase diplomatic tensions With Spain and the Sahara. In addition, the fact that Morocco is exploiting areas in Western Sahara for international projects could generate even more conflicts in the political and territorial sphere. Other companies at stake. The development of green hydrogen in Morocco has also attracted a variety of international companies, each with its own strategy. On the one hand, on Europe side will be a German company, Nordex, specialized in renewable and two French energies, extremely known in the world of energy, totalenergies and Engie, which will focus on producing ammonia from green hydrogen. On the other hand, in the area of ​​the Arabiga Peninsula, there is the Taqa company of United Arab Emirates that will invest in the production of ammonia, fuel and steel, and the Saudi Acwa Power will focus on the manufacture of steel. On the other hand, as the presence of China could not miss with the EUG and China Three Gorges companies dedicated to ammonia production; While the United States, with the Ortus company, will focus on the production of green ammonia. Image | Pxhere and Flickr Xataka | Cheaper, durable and ecological: a new material with the help of ruthenium wants to change the rules of green hydrogen

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