Rabat – Morocco deported a record 2,400 undocumented migrants in 2022 under the voluntary deportation program set in place in collaboration with the International Organization for Migration (IOM).
According to an IOM report, the migrants who opted last year to return to their countries of origin included 1,443 men, 616 women, 207 boys, and 191 girls. The number of deportations spiked in 2022, almost a 300% increase from the 796 recorded in 2020, the statement noted.
The rise in the number of assisted voluntary deportations is largely due to increased funds, allowing the program to cater to more applicants. The IOM report further signaled the lifting of COVID-imposed restrictions on mobility as a factor contributing to the rise in the number of deportations.
Since 2005, the IOM has helped facilitate the deportation of more than 18,000 vulnerable migrants from Morocco. The program includes humanitarian aid to support migrants reintegrating into their communities, the report detailed.
A little over 60% of the migrants surveyed said that they opted for the program because of the lack of financial resources and their inability to maintain adequate living conditions. In comparison, 15% said they had chosen to return to their home countries after they were unable to reach their destination country.
Detailing the number of migrants by country, the report shows that the majority of migrants benefiting from the program are from Cote d’Ivoire with 657, followed by Guinea with 598.
Moroccans deported back home
At the end of 2022, 216 Moroccans benefited from the OIM international voluntary deportation program, with 193 men, 18 women, two girls, and three boys.
OIM data indicates that the largest number of deportation cases were from Turkiye with 99, followed by Tunisia with 49, and Germany with 22.
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