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Rabat – Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has once again spoken about Morocco’s important role in controlling migration on the Moroccan-Spanish border.
On Wednesday, Sanchez reviewed the Summit of the European Union heads of State and Government, which met October 17-18 in Brussels, before the Spanish Congress of Deputies.
The official called Morocco a “strategic actor” for Spain in migration policy, particularly in fighting illegal immigration.
Sanchez said that he defended Morocco’s demands for EU funding to assist the country in managing migration, especially with the sharp increase in the undocumented migrants recorded in recent months taking the western Mediterranean route from Morocco to Spain.
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He added that this is a medium and long-term initiative whose objective is to face the challenge that this phenomenon represents for Morocco, a country with which “Spain has important relations in various areas.”
The prime minister also confirmed that Spain will provide aid to help Morocco manage migratory flows.
El Pais reported on Monday that the EU will give Morocco and Spain €140 million “in the short term” to control migration at the Moroccan-Spanish border.
The funds are to be used “mainly for the purchase of border control equipment,” according to El Pais.
Sanchez has been pressuring the EU to meet Morocco’s demands. Several officials from both countries met to discuss migration.
The last meeting was between Morocco’s Minister of Interior Abdelouafi Laftit and his Spanish counterpart Fernando Grande-Marlaska on October 19 in Madrid.
The Spanish official said that Morocco must remain a privileged partner of Spain.
Despite the favorable answer of the EU, El Pais believes that the funds are “still modest and significantly lower than those destined for other countries.”
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