Spain praises Morocco’s action against illegal migration

The numerous attempts to cross illegally from Morocco to Spain in recent hours through the border crossings with Ceuta and Melilla, especially in the enclave of Ceuta, have been effectively stopped by the security forces of the North African country. before they were completed.

The Spanish government, through the Minister of Foreign Affairs, José Manuel Albares, has given a positive assessment of the Moroccan police action in containing the large wave of clandestine migrants, which mainly affected the border at Ceuta.

The Spanish Foreign Minister thus opposed criticism from the right in Spain and urged opposition members in parliament to “recognize the work of the Moroccan security forces” to curb all attempts at illegal border crossings between Spain and Morocco, both by sea and by land.

The Spanish minister particularly highlighted Morocco’s cooperation with the Spanish security forces ‘when it comes to guarding the borders of Ceuta and Melilla’.

José Manuel Albares praised Spanish cooperation in the field of security with countries such as Mauritania, Senegal and Gambia, but also with Morocco, and increased efforts in the field of development cooperation.

On his part, Morocco has long stressed that its approach to migration includes efforts to maintain internal security and stability, stressing that it is interested in a “collaboration of shared responsibility” instead of being expected to act as some kind of policeman for Europe.

Security cooperation between Spain and Morocco has always been solid and has recently demonstrated its extraordinary strength. Border control is essential to prevent illegal migration and possible problems arising from migratory pressure, especially in terms of security, both of the countries and, above all, of the illegal migrants themselves, who in most cases risk their lives to reach Spanish and European territory, fleeing difficult living conditions or even repression in their countries of origin, especially in Africa. These people are exploited by different criminal gangs involved in illegal human trafficking.

The excellent diplomatic relations currently existing between Morocco and Spain have been favorably strengthened after the Spanish government recognized the kingdom’s proposal for broad autonomy under Moroccan sovereignty in Western Sahara as the “most serious, credible and realistic” way to resolve the Sahrawi dispute, to further strengthen cooperation on security and migration between two countries that are considered neighbours and allies.