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Doha – In a bid to strengthen cooperation on migration management and enhance economic relations, the European Union is set to propose a wide-ranging partnership agreement with Morocco, according to Dubravka Šuica, the incoming European Commissioner for the Mediterranean.
Speaking to lawmakers in Brussels during her confirmation hearing on Tuesday, Šuica emphasized the EU’s commitment to engaging with countries in the Mediterranean region, the Middle East, and Africa.
Šuica, who is seeking a second term in the EU’s executive, revealed that negotiations have already begun with Jordan, and Morocco is next in line for a comprehensive strategic agreement.
“We think these two countries can be helpful for us and we can be helpful to them,” she stated. The move follows similar deals struck with Egypt and Tunisia since July 2023, worth €7.4 billion and €1 billion respectively, which have drawn criticism over human rights concerns in both countries.
Yet Commissioner Šuica defended the EU’s strategy, insisting that urgent action was necessary as Egypt and Tunisia “were on the brink of collapse,” Euronews reported on Tuesday.
Read also: EU Commission: Morocco Accepted Only 8% of Irregular Migrants Back in 2023
She claimed that the macro-financial assistance deals have yielded positive results, including an 80% reduction in irregular migrant arrivals from Tunisia compared to 2022. However, assessments on the implementation of these deals remain confidential.
Morocco has been proactively combating migrant smuggling and human trafficking within its borders.
According to a recent government report presented to the House of Representatives, Moroccan authorities have successfully disrupted 48,963 attempts to smuggle migrants and dismantled 210 criminal networks involved in such activities since the beginning of 2024.
Throughout this year, the Royal Navy has played a crucial role in rescuing 14,260 individuals of various nationalities from perilous sea crossings in the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean.
The EU has a long-standing cooperation with Morocco on migration, dating back to 2004. Between 2014 and 2022, the EU has devoted around €2.1 billion to overall bilateral cooperation with Morocco, including support under the EU Emergency Trust Fund for Africa (EUTF) and the Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument (NDICI – Global Europe).
The majority of these funds are allocated to integrated border management, the fight against smuggling and trafficking in human beings, protection and community stabilization, and support for labor migration.
EU support through the EUTF has yielded significant results in Morocco, as reported by the North of Africa Monitoring and Learning System.
Over 30,795 people have been reached by information campaigns and workshops on migrants’ rights and available services, while 22,362 people have gained improved access to basic social benefits and benefited from COVID-19 emergency response activities.
The EU has also supported the development of 16 strategies, laws, policies, and plans related to migration governance, conflict prevention, and human rights in Morocco.
