Agadir – The European Union has welcomed the joint efforts by Morocco and Spain to bring the migration crisis in Ceuta under control and facilitate the return of the vast majority of migrants who entered the enclave last week.
European Commissioner for the Mediterranean Dubravka Šuica said Saturday that she remains in regular contact with Morocco’s Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita regarding the situation, while stressing the importance of continued coordination between Rabat and Madrid.
“I am in regular contact with Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita on the situation in Ceuta,” Šuica said in a statement shared on social media.
“The EU appreciates the joint efforts of Morocco and Spain to bring the situation under control and ensure the vast majority of arrivals have returned to Morocco,” she added.
Šuica said the efforts were continuing, stressing the EU’s commitment to working with both countries and closely monitoring developments.
The European commissioner also placed the blame for the mass arrivals on migrant-smuggling networks, warning against what she described as false promises made by smugglers and traffickers.
“We cannot and will not let smugglers put people’s lives at risk with false promises,” she said.
“The fight against illegal migration, and especially combating smugglers and traffickers, is a common challenge. Challenges we can only address together,” Šuica added.
The statement comes one week after tens of thousands of migrants attempted to enter Ceuta from Morocco, triggering a major migration crisis around the Spanish enclave.
Šuica’s comments come as Morocco and Spain continue efforts to manage the aftermath of the crisis and facilitate the return of migrants who crossed into Ceuta.
The EU has repeatedly viewed irregular migration and migrant smuggling as shared challenges requiring cooperation between European and North African countries.
In this regard, the EU position places Morocco-Spain coordination at the center of efforts to contain the situation.