Ferry to Morocco

[Robbo]

Is anything happening on the mooted ferry link with Morocco?

[Johnrgby]

I was in a bar a month or two back, and it came up in conversation, then somebody I cannot remember whether he was part of the conversation or not, produced an Ipad, and gave chapter and verse on it.

Run by Aramas Two sailings a week, I think he said Tuesdays and Fridays, fares are to be circa 60€ each way and I am convinced he said the start date was 1112/18, but if that was true it has gone on totally under the radar.

[Spitfire58]

Is anything happening on the mooted ferry link with Morocco?

I hope not !!

[Sam]

Today @ Onda Fuerteventura

The Moroccan port of Tarfaya, 63 nautical miles (101 kilometres) from Puerto del Rosario, in Fuerteventura, is the biggest obstacle that the president of the Canary Islands, Fernando Clavijo, detects for the rapid development of commercial and human relations between the Archipelago and Morocco. The regional chief executive yesterday moved his interest to accelerate the inauguration of the port to the Moroccan prime minister, Saad-Eddine El Othmani, who promised that he would give immediate instructions to his minister of transport to deal with this issue, although he did not ensure any specific deadline.

The reforms to condition the Tarfaya port area - to avoid accidents such as the Assalama ferry, which caused the closure of the line in March 2008 after four months in operation - have already been completed, but the port has not yet been inaugurated. Clavijo, in his last day of meetings during his first official trip to the alauí kingdom, showed that this situation prevents two interested Canary shipping companies from opening a regular line that promotes merchandise traffic and bi-directional tourism.

The Minister of Industry, Pedro Ortega, participated today in an interview with Nuria González in 'De Buena Mañana'.


"Concrete agreements"
Clavijo explained to El Othmani the need for relations between the Canary Islands and Morocco to pass from "political declarations of intentions to concrete agreements". The regional executive seeks to activate a bilateral group with the neighboring country to promote commercial and cultural exchanges between both territories. The intention of the Government is to hold a meeting in the Islands during the first half of April with the participation of Canarian and Moroccan businessmen and to continue with "the impulse that this official trip has fostered".

The proposal includes the formation of an alliance made up of the island business fabric, the Hispano-Moroccan chamber and the governments of both countries, while promoting cultural cooperation actions and initiatives in the field of education and training.

Before the meeting with El Othmani, the Canarian president participated in an offering at the Mohamed V Mausoleum and met with Habib Al Malki and Nasser Bourita. In all the meetings, Clavijo expressed concern about the situation of migration and especially the unaccompanied minors who arrive in the Archipelago, and stressed that the "best environment for these children is the family". The head of the regional government also moved the opportunity to recover a program of European cooperation of the Canary Islands-Morocco neighbourhood that contributes financially to strengthen cooperation.

The Moroccan institutions agreed on the idea of recovering this program for the period 2021-2027 and committed to work together with the support of the Spanish Embassy in Morocco.

Clavijo was accompanied during the official trip to Morocco, which started on Monday and ended yesterday, by the counselors of Economy, Industry, Commerce and Knowledge and Tourism, Culture and Sports, Pedro Ortega and Isaac Castellano; the Deputy Advisers for External Action and Education, Luis Padilla and David Pérez-Dionis; the general director of Relations with Africa and and CEO of Proexca, Pablo Martín Carbajal, as well as a representative of the Technological Institute of the Canary Islands (ITC).

The Minister of Economy also held a meeting yesterday with officials of the Moroccan Ministry of Energy, Mines and Sustainable Development, in which he presented a battery of initiatives in which the Government of the Canary Islands is working to reinforce mutual knowledge and open new opportunities for collaboration economic and business.

Castellano, on the other hand, met with representatives of the Ministry of Culture of Morocco to agree on the creation of a complete cultural agenda that unites both territories. The objective, as explained by the counselor, is "to consolidate the union between two peoples and promote cultural exchanges between Canarian and Moroccan artists."

[Emmi Smith]

"Before the meeting with El Othmani, the Canarian president participated in an offering at the Mohamed V Mausoleum and met with Habib Al Malki and Nasser Bourita. In all the meetings, Clavijo expressed concern about the situation of migration and especially the unaccompanied minors who arrive in the Archipelago, and stressed that the "best environment for these children is the family". The head of the regional government also moved the opportunity to recover a program of European cooperation of the Canary Islands-Morocco neighbourhood that contributes financially to strengthen cooperation."

Interestingly, I have a friend who is a high ranking officer in the Guardia Civil, he too is not happy at the new ferry proposal.

[Johnrgby]

"Before the meeting with El Othmani, the Canarian president participated in an offering at the Mohamed V Mausoleum and met with Habib Al Malki and Nasser Bourita. In all the meetings, Clavijo expressed concern about the situation of migration and especially the unaccompanied minors who arrive in the Archipelago, and stressed that the "best environment for these children is the family". The head of the regional government also moved the opportunity to recover a program of European cooperation of the Canary Islands-Morocco neighbourhood that contributes financially to strengthen cooperation."

Interestingly, I have a friend who is a high ranking officer in the Guardia Civil, he too is not happy at the new ferry proposal.

To be honest Emmi, it does not take a lot of thinking about to realise why he wouldn't be.

[Emmi Smith]

True, but there are  too many people in high places pushing for it. Guess it might have something to do with brown envelopes.

[Johnrgby]

True, but there are  too many people in high places pushing for it. Guess it might have something to do with brown envelopes.

Good God, now whatever makes you think that

[Emmi Smith]