The Spanish Ministry of the Interior commended Morocco's positive cooperation in combating illegal migration with Spain and its commitment to fighting criminal gangs involved in human trafficking. This response came in reply to questions raised by Assahifa concerning the current status of cooperation between the two countries in migration, against the backdrop of the recent influx of migrants.
The Spanish Ministry added in its communication with Assahifa that Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska had repeatedly praised the existing collaboration between Morocco and Spain in the field of migration, recalling the outcomes of the Rabat meeting on January 19, emphasizing that no changes have occurred in the cooperation between both sides in combating illegal migration and human trafficking networks.
This statement also addresses accusations made by some Spanish opposition parties, notably the far-right party "Vox," which recently claimed that Morocco was complicit in the influx of illegal migrants into Ceuta in recent weeks. Hundreds of migrants entered the city, despite efforts by both Moroccan and Spanish forces to stop them.
The Ministry of the Interior confirmed to Assahifa that Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska particularly appreciates "Morocco's commitment and efforts" in fighting illegal migration, as well as combating human trafficking gangs. The minister had previously stated that the criminal gangs specializing in human smuggling are responsible for the tragedies that occur between Morocco and Spain.
It is worth noting that during his visit to Rabat on January 19 and his meeting with his Moroccan counterpart, Abdelouafi Laftit, the Spanish Interior Minister, Fernando Grande-Marlaska, described the cooperation between Morocco and Spain in the fight against terrorism and illegal migration as "the best model of cooperation known between Europe and Africa, especially in light of increased migration pressures and terrorist threats."
Marlaska also mentioned that "Morocco is a key strategic partner for Spain in internal affairs," adding that this was the thirteenth meeting between the two ministers, reflecting "the excellent relations and our personal commitment to continuously strengthening bilateral cooperation."
During the same meeting, the Spanish Interior Minister expressed his gratitude to his Moroccan counterpart for "Morocco's commitment and efforts in addressing the shared challenge of illegal migration and combating human trafficking gangs," pointing out that human smuggling by mafias is one of the worst human scourges.
In recent days, Morocco has showcased its significant efforts in combating illegal migration since the beginning of 2024, coinciding with the recent increase in illegal migration flows to northern Morocco and southern Spain. Morocco successfully thwarted more than 54,000 illegal migration attempts from January 1 to the end of August 2024.
According to statistics released by the Moroccan Ministry of the Interior in recent days, August recorded the highest number of thwarted illegal migration attempts, with 11,323 attempts blocked in the M’diq-Fnideq province and 3,325 attempts in the Nador province.
The Ministry of the Interior noted that individuals involved in these attempts belonged to different nationalities. The large number recorded in the M’diq-Fnideq province was due to its proximity to Ceuta, where thousands of migrants attempted to reach the city by swimming during August, taking advantage of the fog that covered the area on some days.
Additionally, the Ministry reported the dismantling of 177 criminal networks engaged in smuggling illegal migrants since the beginning of this year. This significant figure, given the short time frame, underscores the increased activity of criminal networks exploiting migrants despite ongoing security crackdowns.
As for the number of migrants rescued by the Moroccan Royal Navy while they were at sea, either swimming or aboard boats, their number has exceeded 10,500 since the beginning of the year until the end of August.
The Moroccan authorities highlighted that these efforts resulted from the vigilance of various security agencies, despite the growing challenges posed by smuggling networks and the continuous migration of people from Sahel countries due to the difficult social and economic conditions in those regions.
