Morocco-Israel offshore deal stirs Canary Islands maritime dispute

A new offshore energy deal between Morocco and Israel is reigniting maritime tensions with Spain’s Canary Islands, the New Arab reports. The agreement grants Israel’s NewMed Energy and Morocco’s Adarco Energy an eight-year license to explore the Boujdour Atlantique block, an offshore area in Western Sahara, a disputed territory Morocco claims as its own. 

José Miguel Barragán, a spokesperson for the Canary Islands’ ruling coalition, warned the project could complicate ongoing negotiations over maritime boundaries. Under UN law, both Morocco and Spain are entitled to a 200-nautical-mile Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), but the Canary Islands’ proximity—just 95 km from Morocco’s coast—has led to overlapping claims. 

Madrid backed Morocco’s autonomy plan for Western Sahara in 2022 but has not recognised Rabat’s sovereignty. The region’s untapped hydrocarbon and mineral reserves, including the Tropic Seamount, raise the stakes. Canarian officials are urging renewed talks with Spain and Morocco to settle territorial waters.