Mijas has launched a pilot scheme using drone technology to clean hard-to-reach sections of council buildings. Work has begun focusing on the glass lift in Mijas Pueblo and the side facade of the town hall as part of upgrades under the new public buildings cleaning contract.

This approach modernises local services by bringing in advanced tools already adopted by forward-looking administrations elsewhere in Spain. Goals centre on delivering greater efficiency, stronger protection for staff and superior upkeep of council properties. The pueblo blanco is meant to stay ‘blanco’ is the message from the council.

New contract expands cleaning capabilities

New terms and conditions in the cleaning agreement introduce tasks rarely performed before, including exterior treatment of large glazed areas and other hard-to-reach zones. Officials behind the contract sought the strongest available technology and resources to raise standards for residents. Success in the current trial could see the method rolled out across further municipal sites.

Safety measures and operational setup

Strict protocols support the operation, especially in terms of public safety. Authorisation for drone flight was achieved, the surrounding area cordoned off and a lifeline installed in line with current rules for urban work of this kind.

Clece, the firm awarded the contract, favours the system as it gains in both speed and workplace safety. Group manager for Malaga Andrés Alarcón noted that drones reach places where conventional methods demand elaborate rope access or scaffolding. “Drones complete the job faster and more efficiently while cutting risks for teams by limiting height work whenever possible,” he said.

How the drone system works

A drone linked to a filtered water supply removes limestone and prevents marks on glass. Depending on the dirt present, the unit can use cold or hot water plus specialised detergents to get a high-quality finish.

Path toward wider adoption

Results from the pilot will guide decisions on applying the same technique to other buildings that share similar features. The move is about bettering the council’s commitment to public services that grow more modern, efficient and aligned with technological progress.

King Mohammed VI has completed 27 years ruling Morocco, confirming his place as Africa’s richest monarch while the kingdom’s industrial expansion continues to draw praise from world leaders. Yet the same week thousands of young Moroccans entered Spain’s North African enclave, exposing social gaps that still drive people abroad and testing the future of the Madrid-Rabat partnership.

Congratulatory messages arrived for the royal anniversary celebrations held at the palace in Tetouan. Britain’s King Charles III, Dutch King Willem-Alexander, Belgian King Philippe, Swedish King Carl XVI Gustaf and Jordan’s King Abdullah II all sent good wishes. Oman’s Sultan Haitham bin Tarik, Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sissi and Senegal’s Bassirou Diomaye Faye also paid tribute. Estimates put Mohammed VI’s personal fortune near $5.7 billion, largely through the royal family’s Al Mada holdings.

From quiet economy to industrial strength

When Mohammed VI took power in 1999 after King Hassan II, Morocco relied heavily on farming, tourism, phosphates and money sent home by workers abroad. Factories stayed limited and many rural families struggled. Heavy investment since then has altered the picture. Ports, roads, high-speed trains, solar and wind projects plus industrial zones have taken shape. Tangier Med now ranks among Africa’s top ports, giving the country a clear logistics gateway to Europe and beyond.

Car and aircraft makers have set up plants and supply chains, drawn by trade deals and closeness to European markets. Per-person income has nearly doubled since the late 1990s. Growth reached about 4.8 per cent in 2025, and forecasts point to 4.4 per cent this year, helped by farming recovery and building work. Foreign investment almost doubled to roughly $3.34 billion last year, with electric vehicles, batteries and clean energy projects leading the way. Defence ties have grown too, including a ten-year roadmap with the United States running to 2036 and deals covering missiles, Apache helicopters and possible F-35 jets.

King Mohammed VI of Morocco has named the 1,055-km Tiznit–Dakhla road the President Donald J. Trump Highway. pic.twitter.com/2juYzJwmvV

— Globe Eye News (@GlobeEyeNews) July 27, 2026

Social gaps and the border pressure

Benefits have not reached everyone. Youth joblessness remains high and inequality still bites. Protests led by young people flared in September 2025 over work, hospitals and schools. Some turned messy before officials promised talks and extra funding. Euro Weekly News has already reported the full details of the late-July events at the Spanish North African enclave, when an estimated 50,000 to 60,000 people crossed by land and sea. At least 67 died. Most went back within a day or two once Spanish forces regained control.

Spanish officials pointed to people-smuggling gangs and social-media claims that the border stood open after a court ruling. Questions remain over how freely Moroccan forces acted in the early hours. EU figures show around 275,000 cases of Moroccan citizens found irregularly across the bloc between 2021 and 2025. The episode left Madrid under pressure from other European capitals and reminded both sides how population movements can still dominate the relationship.

Looking ahead for Madrid and Rabat future

Trade between the two countries now runs well over €20 billion a year, making Spain Morocco’s top commercial partner. Cars, wiring, clothes, fruit, vegetables and energy move both ways. Plans for a rail tunnel under the Strait of Gibraltar keep moving forward, with studies confirming it is technically possible. Realistic opening dates sit between 2035 and 2040. Spanish funding for technical work has continued even after the recent border pressure.

Madrid has chosen careful language, calling Morocco a reliable partner on border management while reinforcing the enclave’s sea barrier. Future ties will rest on balancing strong business links and long-term tunnel vision against repeated population movements and youth frustration at home. Mohammed VI’s next years in power will show whether industrial gains can finally create enough jobs to keep more young Moroccans from risking the journey north.

The next few days of diplomatic tussle will only tell what happens to the relationship.

Update – 7.45pm, Sunday, August 2
The local Territorial Emergency Plan (PTEL) was deactivated at 6.35pm after the fire in the Río Padrón area of Estepona evolved favourably. INFOCA has withdrawn its resources from the scene. Firefighters from the Málaga Provincial Fire Consortium (CPB Málaga) remain on site carrying out cooling and refresh work to prevent any possible reactivations.
The blaze, which began around 3pm and was later confirmed as urban rather than forestal, prompted the temporary closure of one lane on the A-7 (km 1066.5 direction Cadiz) due to smoke and the precautionary distancing of around 70 people. Traffic on the A-7 has since been fully restored. No injuries have been reported and the cause of the fire has not yet been officially confirmed.

Smoke rose over the Río Padrón area of Estepona this afternoon after emergency services declared a forest fire at 2.59pm. Officials from INFOCA confirmed the incident in the paraje Rio Padron, Malaga province, and quickly sent in air and ground support. Estepona residents have been instructed to close all windows as smoke stretches across the town.

🔴 #Incendio Estepona | #Autoprotección112

🏠 Cierra puertas y ventanas para evitar la entrada de humo en la vivienda.

🚫 Evita la zona del incendio. No te acerques ni vayas a mirar: deja trabajar a los operativos.

❤️ Protege especialmente a los más vulnerables: niños,… pic.twitter.com/VBvSezhrjL

— Protección Civil Estepona (@PCivilEstepona) August 2, 2026

What we know so far

One light helicopter and one medium helicopter joined 20 ground staff and two fire engines at the scene. Protección Civil Estepona and provincial crews from CPB Malaga also reached the spot. Locals place the flames next to the old N-340, almost opposite the main Carrefour store. Fire teams remain hard at work with two helicopters and two fire planes overhead. Many online are complaining that the response following emergency 112 calls was much slower than expected.

🔴 DECLARADO | Incendio en el paraje Río Padrón

Efectivos del @Plan_INFOCA y @cpbmalaga en la zona.

⚠️ Si te encuentras en la zona 👇

🔥🔥🔥
⏫
↖️🚒↗️
↖️🚔↗️
↖️🚑↗️
↖️ ↗️
⏫
🔴Aparta los coches dejando espacio a los servicios de emergencias. pic.twitter.com/v62FJ6HkL1

— Protección Civil Estepona (@PCivilEstepona) August 2, 2026

Roads and conditions

A-7 motorway traffic continues without closure for now, yet several witnesses say the fire looks to be spreading. No road closures have been announced so far. Gusty wind is making life harder for the crews on the ground. Drivers heading into Estepona from the eastern approach may want to pick a different route until the situation settles. Police presence drew mixed comments from people nearby, with some calling the response slower than expected. There is said to be a lot of overgrowth of grass and weeds in the area that has not be tended to for some time.

🗓️ 02/08/2026 🕗 15.53 h.

🔴ACTUALIZAMOS | El incendio en #Estepona, #Málaga, es urbano (NO FORESTAL).
Colaboramos con efectivos de @cpbmalaga

MEDIOS #EMAINFOCA
🚁 1 ligero, 1 semipesado
👩‍🚒 20 efectivos por tierra
🚒 2 autobomba pic.twitter.com/CsmXlihPno

— EMA INFOCA (@Plan_INFOCA) August 2, 2026

Anyone in the immediate area should keep clear and leave space for emergency vehicles. Officials have not yet given a cause or exact size of the burned ground. High temperatures and dry conditions across the Costa del Sol had already put the region on extreme fire alert earlier in the day.

INFOCA and local protection services continue to update as the operation develops. Check official channels for the latest word before travelling through eastern Estepona. No injuries have been reported at this stage.

Stay safe and give the emergency teams room to work.