The Spanish obsession with Morocco’s space movements continues with the approaching launch of the “Mohammed VI-B” satellite next Tuesday; Despite the statements of Morocco’s representative to the United Nations, Omar Hilal, regarding the “Mohammed VI-A” satellite and its monitoring of the Polisario’s movements only, the Spanish press continues to discuss Morocco’s ambitions, many of which have linked this to human trafficking issues and to the moves that Morocco has undertaken since 2012 in the field of space leadership.
Despite the government’s intervention to end the controversy that accompanied the launch of the first satellite and considering the matter not worrying for the neighbors, the second version, in turn, brought back the fears of the Spaniards, especially in view of the high technologies available on the two satellites that will enable them to take approximately 500 separate photos of the field during one day, as well as because of the partnership that It started Morocco's grouping with the European Union regarding satellites and their use in migration issues.
In this regard, Karim Ayesh, a member of the Rabat Center for Strategic Studies, said that “the launch of the Mohammed VI-B satellite is part of the national strategy to provide modern technological means designed by Morocco and exploited on the country by Moroccan competencies based near Rabat-Salé Airport.” Headquarters,” noting that the current satellite is the second that Morocco will launch in this last decade, to occupy the third place after Egypt and South Africa in terms of countries that own two or more satellites.
Ayesh added, in a statement to Hespress electronic newspaper, that "this system aroused the fear and panic of Morocco's neighbors, considering the high-precision technologies equipped with this latest satellite, which is scheduled to be launched next Wednesday; As the obsession with espionage and monitoring military movements and communications dominates the concern of these countries, while Morocco does not follow this trend and does not tend to the military and intelligence race in the region as much as it favors the use of modern technology in accurate mapping and topographic survey.”
And the spokesman added, "The Ministry of the Interior has previously benefited from satellite images to determine urban sprawl and the development of slums. This satellite will also help in the prevention of natural disasters and track the environmental situation and the encroachment of desertification, which has been a preoccupation of Morocco since the eighties, because of the negative effects of desertification on the economy and agriculture, In addition to the acceleration of climatic changes and the proliferation of floods and exceptional climatic conditions, the satellite will strengthen Moroccan control at the borders to ward off threats from the Polisario and terrorist groups.
The researcher at Mohammed V University continued, “Morocco’s intelligence interests have monitored the installation of missile platforms and mobile bases for the Polisario in the areas adjacent to the security belt, and what this may constitute as the primary elements for creating terrorist gathering spots that the Polisario may lose control over if armed groups quarrel among themselves in southern Algeria and change The geostrategic data of the coast and the direct threat this poses to Moroccan soil, which should be carefully monitored and alerted.”