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Rabat — Spain’s Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska is set to visit Melilla tomorrow to tour the new “smart border” installations at the Beni Ansar land crossing.
According to Spanish media, Grande-Marlaska will be at the border on Wednesday at 11:30 a.m. to examine the “entry/exit” technological system firsthand.
Using biometric surveillance technology, the new border control system is conceived to automate border crossings. It aims to strengthen security while making border crossings more efficient.
Spanish authorities conceived the new border control system to automate crossings using biometric surveillance technology.
The “smart border” system in Melilla is designed to combat identity theft and fraudulent use of travel documents, prevent entry of people who don’t meet requirements, and identify individuals who overstay their authorized visits.
On another level, the system also helps prevent, detect, and investigate terrorist crimes and other serious offenses by providing crucial information for investigations involving people who have crossed the European Union’s external borders.
The Spanish media reported data by the Spanish National Police from last October, of more than four million people and 760,000 vehicles passing through this checkpoint over the past year.
Read also: Spanish Minister: ‘Smart Border’ Between Ceuta, Morocco to be Ready ‘Before End of Year’
However, the first commercial export through the Beni Ansar crossing took place in January this year, when a truck carrying approximately 600 kilograms of home appliances successfully crossed from Melilla into Morocco.
Morocco and Spain officials decided to follow a gradual reopening of customs posts to ensure the fluidity of the recovering commercial exchange through the borders, both in Ceuta and Melilla.
The visit marks the minister’s first visit to Melilla since April 17, 2023, following the tragic border crossing attempt on June 24, 2022, when over 2,000 irregular migrants attempted to forcibly cross to the enclave of Melilla from Nador.
The incident led to the death of 23 migrants, while clashes resulted in injuries among over 140 personnel and security guards.
