The Morocco-Spain Undersea Tunnel Project "Between Regional Integration and Geopolitical Competition"

Abstract

This research examines the proposed maritime tunnel project between Morocco and Spain across the Strait of Gibraltar, as one of the largest strategic projects combining multiple engineering, economic, cultural, and geopolitical dimensions. The research proceeds from the premise that the project is not merely an infrastructure linking two continents, but a geopolitical act reflecting a profound shift in the power dynamics of the western Mediterranean, and a means of reshaping North-South relations in light of overlapping strategic interests.

The study adopted a comparative analytical approach based on official documents, geological studies, international reports, and international relations approaches to uncover the historical background of the idea of ​​linking, and to trace its development from the nineteenth century until the end of the modern initiatives in 2023–2024. In addition, it analyzed the technical and geological factors that make the strait one of the most complex maritime passages in the world. The results show that the geological and seismic challenges of the strait, along with legal and sovereignty complexities, constitute major obstacles to the implementation of the project, making it contingent on the availability of a stable political will, the building of a common legal framework, and the adoption of a sustainable development approach that takes into account the environment and the security dimension. The research concludes that the tunnel represents a contemporary model for the possibility of transforming the Mediterranean from an arena of competition to a space of cooperation if the appropriate political and technical conditions are in place.