A diplomatic frost is silently developing between Rabat and Madrid, after Spanish media spoke of an upcoming visit by the Queen of Spain to the enclave of Ceuta on September 9. The Spanish-occupied city of Ceuta is yet again at the heart of a new row after Morocco protested in 2007 against a visit by Juan Carlos, then king of Spain, to the city. Back then, Morocco described the visit as a provocation and recalled its ambassador to Madrid in protest. Spanish news outlets such as El Confidential Digital claimed that Morocco is letting migrants storm into Ceuta’s borders on purpose as a protest against the Queen’s visit. Morocco claims the city along with the other Spanish occupied city of Melilla as an integral part of its national territory.

Source: The North Africa Journal August 15, 2017 16:07 UTC