Spanish authorities began sending hundreds of irregular migrants back to Morocco. These migrants arrived in the Canary Islands in recent months and are estimated at 7 thousand people, mostly of Moroccan origin.
Spanish government sources reported that the majority of these migrants did not meet the criteria for refugee status, while the Moroccan Interior Ministry denied a request by the European Union that Morocco accept third-country migrants arriving in Europe through its land.
Explaining the refusal, the governor in charge of migration and border control at the Ministry of Interior, Khalid Zerouali, explained that his country wants "each country to assume its responsibility towards its nationals. Khalid Zerouali said Morocco has prevented 32,000 people from entering Europe – located 14 kilometers from the Strait of Gibraltar – during this year against 74,000 attempts in the previous year.
The official added that the increased surveillance of the north Moroccan coasts and the restrictions imposed to contain the spread of Covid-19 have led migrant smugglers to change their route to Europe to go through the Canary Islands in Spain, 1,400 kilometers off the African coast.
Since 2018, the European Union has granted 343 million euros in aid to Morocco to support it in the fight against irregular migration.
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