Spain seeks Moroccan cooperation to shield Canary Islands from migrants

Spanish Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska is expected in Rabat, Friday, to hold talks with Moroccan counterpart Abdelouafi Laftit.

Spanish media reports have revealed that Grande-Marlaska's visit to Morocco is aimed at strengthening cooperation between the two nations in controlling irregular migration towards the Canary Islands.

This trip comes amidst intensified efforts by the Royal Moroccan Navy to intercept inflatable boats carrying potential migrants bound for the Spanish archipelago.

Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez's left-wing coalition government seeks a more resolute commitment from Morocco in safeguarding the Canaries from substantial migrant influxes. Meanwhile, the right-wing Popular Party and far-left opposition seize upon this issue to criticize the executive's perceived «inaction». They argue that Morocco, in exchange for «concessions» made by Sanchez regarding Western Sahara, should act as a border guard for Spain and the Canary Islands.

Data compiled by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and published in December, with excerpts circulating in Spanish press, reveals that more than 34,000 irregular migrants arrived in the Canary Islands in 2023. However, the report also highlights a decline in departures from Morocco across the Western Mediterranean, attributed to strengthened coastal protections in recent years.

«The route to the Canary Islands from Senegal has experienced significant growth, with arrivals nearly doubling compared to 2022», the IOM report notes. Furthermore, the migration agreement signed between the European Union (EU) and Tunisia in July «has not had the expected effect in the central Mediterranean», as Tunisia has become the main departure point for 83% of all migrants received by Italy this summer.

Grande-Marlaska's visit to Rabat signifies the critical importance Spain places on securing Moroccan cooperation in addressing irregular migration.