The Moroccan Interior Ministry said that it had thwarted 89 000 illegal immigration attempts in 2018, with a rise of 37 percent comparing to 2017, as Morocco has become the main starting point for African migrants, who want to migrate to Europe.
The statistics indicate that the Moroccan authorities have thwarted more than 229 smuggling networks.
Morocco has become a major gateway for the migrants, especially for Africans as they can visit it without visas, and the migrants to Europe, since Italy has taken tough measures against immigration. In fact, the aid from the European Union helped the Libyan Coast Guard reduce the number of people coming from Libya.
The statistics showed that 80 percent of the irregular migrants of last year were foreigners, where 29 715 were rescued in the sea, while 5608 were repatriated to their home countries.
The number of the illegal migration attempts to Europe were numerous, especially from the sub-Saharan Africa, through Spain's Ceuta and Melilla, or across the sea, as Morocco is very close to Europe through the Straits of Gibraltar.
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) statistics show that half of the 111 558 migrants and refugees in Europe are from the southern Mediterranean, who have succeeded to reach Europe across the western Mediterranean basin. In fact, about 2 217 died, including 744 across the western Mediterranean route.
#illegal_immigration #Morocco
English 
العربية