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The rapprochement between Moroccan and Spanish universities has reached a new milestone, with the Sahara now being incorporated into academic cooperation between the two countries. This shift is illustrated by the visit, from Monday to Wednesday, of delegations from two leading universities in the Canary Islands to Dakhla and Laâyoune, led by their respective rectors.
Among the visitors is Francisco García, rector of the University of La Laguna, who, Yabiladi has learned, was previously a supporter of the Polisario. His presence in the Saharan cities marks a symbolic setback for the Front.
The visit follows agreements reached during a recent mission by Ibn Zohr University to the Canary Islands, organized with the support of Morocco's Consulate General in Las Palmas. The partnership aims to strengthen cooperation in higher education, scientific research, innovation, academic mobility and expertise sharing, while promoting university projects in Western Sahara.
Polisario and its Spanish allies irked
On Tuesday, the wali of the Laâyoune-Sakia El Hamra region received the Spanish delegations. Discussions focused on expanding cooperation between universities in Morocco's Southern Provinces and those in the Canary Islands.
The growing academic ties are likely to further irritate the Polisario and its supporters in Spain. As early as last December, the Spanish newspaper El Independiente, which is close to the Front, warned against what it described as «Moroccan influence over Spanish universities».
The newspaper claimed Morocco was «expanding its presence through academic chairs, university agreements, cultural events and funding», arguing that the effort went beyond academia and sought to improve the kingdom's image in Spain and shape public discourse on Western Sahara.
As Morocco has strengthened its presence in Spanish universities, the Polisario has responded with attempts to disrupt these initiatives. In April, supporters of the Front unsuccessfully tried to block a conference at the University of Zaragoza on UN Security Council Resolution 2797, organized by the Moroccan Consulate in Aragon with the participation of the university's rector and Bahi Larbi Ennass, a former Polisario member who now supports Morocco. Their objective was to prevent Morocco's position on the Sahara from being presented to students.
