EU President Wants Morocco to Become Reception Hub for Refugees

Rabat – In the midst of the growing refugee crisis, European Union President Donald Tusk urged member states on Thursday to increase assistance to Morocco and other partners in the region and help them build reception centers for refugees seeking to reach Europe.

Speaking at a press conference with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, Tusk called on EU states to provide more help to countries bordering or close to conflict areas, including Morocco, Turkey, Jordan and Lebanon in ensuring protection to those who are in danger.

Need to help build reception centres closer to conflict areas & increase assistance to 3rd countries like Turkey, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco.

— Donald Tusk (@eucopresident) 3 Septembre 2015

The leader of the European Union also highlighted the need to build reception centers in these countries where asylum requests will be handled before reaching the European Union.

According to Tusk, the aid for countries outside the EU and the humanitarian efforts to contain migratory flows means that much more money will be needed. “Therefore leaders will need to decide on this as well when we meet in October,” Tusk said.

Tusk also urged EU countries to accept at least 100,000 refugees in a bid to cope with the influx of refugees fleeing war and persecution to Europe.

“Accepting more refugees is an important gesture of real solidarity. Fair distribution of at least 100,000 refugees among the EU states is what in fact we need today,” he said.