Mohamed VI warns Spain that he will not accept “pressure, threats or blackmail”
The Moroccan monarch denounces the political instrumentalization of the border crossing in Ceuta and proposes a new cooperation strategy
Quick Look
- King Mohamed VI of Morocco has criticized Spanish political and media management after the migration crisis in Ceuta.
- The monarch described the pressures received as irresponsible and announced a new cooperation strategy to overcome the current model.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
Relations between Spain and Morocco were strained after the massive crossing of thousands of people at the Ceuta border at the end of July.
The King of Morocco, Mohamed VI, criticized this Friday the “irresponsible statements” of political and media sectors in Spain and warned that the “association is a sovereign option and a voluntary commitment and will never be the subject of any pressure, threat or blackmail.” Furthermore, he has denounced the “instrumentalization” that has been made of the massive crossing of the fence in Ceuta last July by certain “political media” and criticizing the delay in the repatriation of minors.
The Moroccan monarch was participating in the opening of the new parliamentary legislature where he admitted that the cooperation model on migration matters is “outdated” and announced that Morocco will propose to its partners a new strategy to promote common development and regional stability.
Mohamed VI has recognized that the relationship with Spain "has registered important advances in different sectors, including the fight against irregular immigration", but has warned that currently cooperation in this last area faces "important challenges, linked to certain outdated legal provisions and judicial decisions that are far from reality." Unfortunately, he added, “this behavior makes the repatriation of minors and people who usurp refugee status difficult, and whets the appetite of criminal networks.”
It is the first time that Mohamed VI has spoken about relations with Spain after thousands of Moroccans crossed the Ceuta border on July 30 and 31. The city has still not recovered normality since that incident.
Precisely this next week the kings of Spain, Felipe and Leticia, will visit Ceuta and Melilla on a trip of high political and institutional significance. The Moroccan authorities are collaborating with the Spanish authorities to try to ensure that the Moroccans who entered the city and are still there return to their country while the city recovers some of the beaches that until a few days ago were occupied by barracks built by these immigrants.
What to Watch
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
Visit of the kings of Spain to Ceuta and Melilla next week.
Very likely · Within days
Open Questions
- What will the new migration strategy proposed by Morocco consist of?
- How will the speech affect the visit of the kings of Spain to Ceuta and Melilla?
