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Join on Telegram Rabat – Arrivals of irregular migrants to the Canary Islands saw a significant decline in March compared to previous months.
The decrease came after Spain officially endorsed Morocco’s Autonomy Plan for Western Sahara, according to reports.
As of February, the number of irregular migrants arriving in Spain was skyrocketing, with 7,319 people having entered the European country in just two months, a 73% increase compared to the same period a year earlier, according to the Spanish news outlet La Vanguardia.
The Canary Islands also saw the arrival of more than 5,400 migrants in February, but the migratory flows saw a notable decrease in March when the Morocco-Spain crisis appeared to cool down after months of deepening tensions.
“The management of migratory flows and border control were one of the cornerstones of the agreement that led Spain to change its position on the Western Sahara conflict,” a source close to the negotiations between Spain and Morocco told La Vanguardia.
On March 18, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez sent a letter to King Mohammed VI, endorsing Morocco’s Autonomy Plan as “the most serious and credible basis” to resolve the Western Sahara dispute.
A day after the Spanish royal cabinet published Pedro Sanchez’s letter, Felix Bolanos, Spain’s Minister of Presidency, said his country seeks a “stable and good relationship” with Morocco.
Bolanos also pointed to Morocco-Spain cooperation in issues of shared interests such as migration and the fight against drugs and human trafficking as Madrid appeared focused on acknowledging Morocco’s role on issues like border security.
Pedro Sanchez will visit Morocco on April 7 following King Mohammed VI’s invitation as part of Madrid and Rabat’s plans to advance bilateral ties and cooperation.
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