Sahara : Spain closes an administrative office in Laayoune

Spain has closed an administrative office in Laayoune. Well-informed sources told Yabiladi that the office was closed on February 13, following a decision that was taken in January during a meeting that brought Spain’s ambassador to Rabat Ricardo Díez-Hochleitner Rodríguez together with Foreign Affairs Minister Arancha Gonzalez.

The office, which was located in a building that once belonged to the Spanish army, used to grant administrative papers to Sahrawis with Spanish citizenship and their descendants.

The building was also known for being home to documents and archives that date back to the colonial era, including the 1974 census. Closing this office will force Saharawis to head to the Spanish consulate in Agadir for paper work.