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Rabat – Spain’s Ministry of Interior has announced the start of preparations to launch Operation Crossing the Strait in June, to help Moroccans abroad return to the country.
The operation is similar to the Marhaba operation, which also facilitates the transit of Moroccans residing abroad (MREs) during the summer season.
The transit operation takes place annually, with passengers transported between Spain and Morocco on boats during the Summer season.
Spanish news outlet El Pais said on Monday the interior ministry announced the launch of the preparations four days after Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez visited Morocco last week on Thursday
Last week, Sanchez met with King Mohammed VI. The meeting marked the end of a year-long diplomatic crisis between the two countries.
As part of their new phase of relations, Spain and Morocco decided on the imminent reopening of borders.
Today, April 12 marks the gradual resumption of maritime travel between the two countries.
Now, both countries are preparing to launch the Marhaba operation and Operation Crossing the Strait.
According to El Pais, the Spanish operation will involve almost 17,0000 National Police and Civil Guard personnel.
Spain will also mobilize 70 social workers and translators as part of the operation.
In 2021, Morocco’s government excluded Spain from the Marhaba operation due to an unprecedented diplomatic crisis between the two countries.
The crisis broke out after Spain’s decision to shelter Polisario leader Brahim Ghali for hospitalization.
Spain’s exclusion from the Marhaba operation stirred frustration among Spanish government officials and ports representatives.
Spanish ports authorities believed that the exclusion could have resulted in 3,000 jobs losses in Granada alone.
Spain ended the crisis by announcing the official endorsement of Morocco’s Autonomy Plan as the most serious and credible basis to end the dispute over Western Sahara.
Over 3.2 Moroccans from all over Europe cross Spanish ports to reach Morocco annually.
The number of Moroccans who come to Morocco as part of the Marhaba operation annually ranges between 2.3 million to 3 million.
