Morocco ready to repatriate minors immediately, says Foreign Minister

Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita on Tuesday expressed Morocco's willingness to repatriate unaccompanied Moroccan minors from European Union countries «starting tomorrow». However, he criticized the complexities surrounding their return, attributing them to «gaps in laws and procedures» within the EU countries rather than Morocco.

During a joint press conference in Rabat with Canary Islands President Fernando Clavijo, Bourita urged EU countries to address these «gaps», noting that he had discussed the issue of returning Moroccan minors with France and Spain.

The Moroccan minister emphasized that these «gaps» in laws and procedures were «an invitation» for human smugglers to exploit. He asserted that if solutions were found to these «legal and administrative shortcomings», the situation would improve.

Bourita further stated that migration was a «shared responsibility» among countries of origin, transit, and destination. He cautioned against putting undue pressure on transit countries, as this could have unintended consequences.