Morocco cooperation helps Spain cut migrant arrivals

The Spanish Commission for Refugee Aid (CEAR), in its 2025 annual report, highlighted Morocco's key role in managing migration flows to Spain and Europe, pointing to a significant decline in both arrivals and asylum applications.

The report, released on Monday, attributed the decrease in part to stricter border controls and «agreements delegating migration management to third countries such as Morocco, Mauritania and Senegal».

According to the figures, 10,224 migrants reached Spain by sea or land between January and May 2026, representing a 35% decline compared with the same period in 2025.

For 2025 as a whole, the report recorded a 46% drop in migrant arrivals to Spain and a 62% decrease in arrivals to the Canary Islands compared with 2024.

CEAR said the sharp decline reflected «strengthened migration cooperation with countries such as Morocco, Senegal and Mauritania». It also cited Spain's new immigration regulations, which came into force in May 2025, along with the gradual tightening of migration policies, as contributing factors.

Despite the effectiveness of Moroccan-Spanish cooperation in reducing migration flows, Moroccans still accounted for 15% of all arrivals in Spain, matching Senegalese nationals and ranking as the third-largest nationality among migrants, behind Algerians (27%) and Malians (17%).