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The European Union Commission has invited Morocco to an upcoming meeting to discuss the migration issue, says EFE quoting «European sources». The Spanish news agency did not give further details on where and when the meeting that will bring the two parties together will be held.
However, EFE indicates that this gathering will take place before the holding of the European Union summit, scheduled for October the 18th in Brussels. The latter will be an important meeting for the EU during which «EU leaders will discuss the migration issue». «A report will be presented during the same event, as planned by the European Council in June», indicates an annonated draft agenda provided by the Council of Europe.
An important meeting in September
Sources quoted by EFE reveal that the EU representatives and their counterparts in the Kingdom held a «technical meeting in September to assess Morocco’s needs on the ground». The European Union then promised to ensure a rapid implementation of the program agreed on by the Kingdom in August, «in cooperation with the Moroccan authorities».
The same sources stress that Brussels is closely collaborating with Rabat on the migration issue. On June the 6th, the European Commission announced that it has granted 55 million euros to Morocco and Tunisia to help the two countries «save lives at the sea, improve their management of their maritime borders, and combat smugglers operating in the region».
However, the European Commission’s aid was insufficient’ according to the Moroccan government which believes that Rabat «is making exceptional efforts in the fight against illegal immigration and human trafficking», said the Government Spokesperson during a press briefing held on August the 2nd.
Mustapha El Khalfi said that the «number of illegal migration attempts Morocco foiled increased lately when compared to the previous years».
Morocco continues to collaborate with Europe and has even strengthened surveillance near its borders. For the record, many sub-Saharan migrants moved from Tangier to other cities in the country.
