Doha - Despite facing a significant migrant surge in recent weeks, with hundreds of young Moroccans attempting to swim to the Spanish enclave of Ceuta, the city’s president, Juan Vivas, has acknowledged Morocco’s cooperation in managing the situation.
In an interview with Spanish radio station COPE, Vivas stated, “The Civil Guard tells me that on a day-to-day basis, Morocco is collaborating.”
Vivas revealed that Morocco’s intervention on Sunday night prevented around 300-350 people from reaching Ceuta, a figure corroborated by the Government Delegation in Ceuta.
“Thanks to this behavior and the collaboration of Morocco, the attempt of around 300 or 350 people to reach Ceuta was avoided,” local outlet El Faro de Ceuta reported Vivas as saying.
The president’s statements contradict the narrative pushed by some Spanish media outlets, which have accused Morocco of exerting pressure on Ceuta through the migrant influx. Vivas called for calm, attributing the controlled situation to the effective work of the security forces.
While Ceuta’s president and local media acknowledge Morocco’s efforts, some Spanish media outlets have taken a different stance.
Spanish media attacks Morocco
In an article titled “Morocco suffocates Ceuta with migratory pressure and customs lockdown,” El Independiente accused Morocco of “asphyxiating” Ceuta with the migrant influx and the closure of customs.
The surge in migrant arrivals is a calculated move by Morocco, claimed the author, Francisco Carrioón, stating: “What is thought is that Morocco is allowing it.”
He further suggested that the situation is reminiscent of the events in May 2021, when up to 12,000 people entered Ceuta within 36 hours.
Carrión also highlighted the economic impact of the closed border on the Moroccan city of Fnideq, known as Castillejos in Spanish, which has traditionally relied on trade with Ceuta.
“The closure of the border has increased poverty in a large pocket of the population. It is estimated that around 30,000 Moroccan families directly depended on Ceuta,” he wrote.
The article portrayed Morocco as intentionally using migration as a tool to pressure Ceuta and Spain. “Throughout history, Morocco has earned more from immigration remittances than from tourism. They don’t care if it’s regular or irregular; it represents a very important percentage of their gross domestic product,” Carrión argued.
Yet these accusations stand in stark contrast to the reality on the ground, as evidenced by the statements made by Ceuta’s president and the collaborative efforts acknowledged by other media outlets.
Morocco’s ongoing cooperation and successful roadmap
In fact, Morocco’s commitment to managing Spain-bound migration flows is not limited to the recent events in Ceuta. In 2023, Morocco intercepted approximately 87,000 individuals attempting to cross into Europe.
Intensive cooperation between Morocco’s Royal Armed Forces and Spain’s law enforcement agencies, both of which have reinforced surveillance at both land and maritime borders, made this achievement possible.
Indeed, high-ranking Spanish officials have consistently acknowledged and applauded the success of the Spain-Morocco roadmap on irregular immigration, which was launched in March 2022.
In an interview with Europa Press in September last year, Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares emphasized the positive results of the roadmap. In particular, he cited a significant decrease in immigrant arrivals through the Canary Islands route compared to other European countries.
Also, contrary to accusations by some Spanish media outlets, El País reported that Morocco’s strengthened border measures have led to a nearly 30% decrease in irregular entries from its coasts in the first half of the year.
The article acknowledged that while Spain faces challenges on other fronts, such as increased arrivals from the Sahel region, Morocco’s efforts have been instrumental in controlling migration flows.
In an interview with Spanish radio station COPE, Vivas stated, “The Civil Guard tells me that on a day-to-day basis, Morocco is collaborating.”
Vivas revealed that Morocco’s intervention on Sunday night prevented around 300-350 people from reaching Ceuta, a figure corroborated by the Government Delegation in Ceuta.
“Thanks to this behavior and the collaboration of Morocco, the attempt of around 300 or 350 people to reach Ceuta was avoided,” local outlet El Faro de Ceuta reported Vivas as saying.
The president’s statements contradict the narrative pushed by some Spanish media outlets, which have accused Morocco of exerting pressure on Ceuta through the migrant influx. Vivas called for calm, attributing the controlled situation to the effective work of the security forces.
While Ceuta’s president and local media acknowledge Morocco’s efforts, some Spanish media outlets have taken a different stance.
Spanish media attacks Morocco
In an article titled “Morocco suffocates Ceuta with migratory pressure and customs lockdown,” El Independiente accused Morocco of “asphyxiating” Ceuta with the migrant influx and the closure of customs.
The surge in migrant arrivals is a calculated move by Morocco, claimed the author, Francisco Carrioón, stating: “What is thought is that Morocco is allowing it.”
He further suggested that the situation is reminiscent of the events in May 2021, when up to 12,000 people entered Ceuta within 36 hours.
Carrión also highlighted the economic impact of the closed border on the Moroccan city of Fnideq, known as Castillejos in Spanish, which has traditionally relied on trade with Ceuta.
“The closure of the border has increased poverty in a large pocket of the population. It is estimated that around 30,000 Moroccan families directly depended on Ceuta,” he wrote.
The article portrayed Morocco as intentionally using migration as a tool to pressure Ceuta and Spain. “Throughout history, Morocco has earned more from immigration remittances than from tourism. They don’t care if it’s regular or irregular; it represents a very important percentage of their gross domestic product,” Carrión argued.
Yet these accusations stand in stark contrast to the reality on the ground, as evidenced by the statements made by Ceuta’s president and the collaborative efforts acknowledged by other media outlets.
Morocco’s ongoing cooperation and successful roadmap
In fact, Morocco’s commitment to managing Spain-bound migration flows is not limited to the recent events in Ceuta. In 2023, Morocco intercepted approximately 87,000 individuals attempting to cross into Europe.
Intensive cooperation between Morocco’s Royal Armed Forces and Spain’s law enforcement agencies, both of which have reinforced surveillance at both land and maritime borders, made this achievement possible.
Indeed, high-ranking Spanish officials have consistently acknowledged and applauded the success of the Spain-Morocco roadmap on irregular immigration, which was launched in March 2022.
In an interview with Europa Press in September last year, Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares emphasized the positive results of the roadmap. In particular, he cited a significant decrease in immigrant arrivals through the Canary Islands route compared to other European countries.
Also, contrary to accusations by some Spanish media outlets, El País reported that Morocco’s strengthened border measures have led to a nearly 30% decrease in irregular entries from its coasts in the first half of the year.
The article acknowledged that while Spain faces challenges on other fronts, such as increased arrivals from the Sahel region, Morocco’s efforts have been instrumental in controlling migration flows.
