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Rabat – The border between Morocco and Melilla will remain closed until September 30, the Spanish Ministry of the Interior has announced.
The decision was published in the Official Bulletin and was cited as part of the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic.
The closure remains in force until September 30, 2021 at midnight and may be amended if new recommendations are made within the European Union, according to the ministry’s statement.
The borders of the two Spanish enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla have been closed since March 13, 2020. They were reopened exceptionally to allow the repatriation of Moroccans blocked in Ceuta and Melilla in May this year.
Even prior to this forced closure due to the health crisis, Morocco had long decided to close its borders with the two enclaves to fight illicit smuggling.
Since then, no announcement has been made regarding the situation.
Residents of northern Morocco’s regions close to the two enclaves have faced immense economic hardships due to the border closures, in addition to constant reports of locals suffering at the hands of drug smugglers on both sides of the border.
On the political front, the closure of the borders came on the heels of a months-long diplomatic crisis between Morocco and Spain.
But there have been reports in recent weeks that the two neighbors are ready to settle their disagreements and make significant steps toward full restoration of their diplomatic, commercial, and political relations.
This week, Spanish media reported the imminent return of Moroccan Ambassador Karima Benyaich to Spain, months after being recalled to Morocco.
Spain and Morocco have worked together on irregular migration and economic cooperation, both issues are central to the Mililla situation, and the two countries are expected to soon resume discussions about their shared borders.
