Morocco blocked 45,015 migrants from illegally crossing into Europe in 2024 and dismantled 177 trafficking gangs, according to MAP, the state news agency, citing interior ministry data.
Reuters said MAP did not provide data for the same period in 2023. Last year Morocco stopped 75,184 migrants from illegally crossing to Europe, according to official figures. In addition, MAP reported the Moroccan navy rescued 10,859 migrants at sea this year.
Morocco continues to face rising migratory pressure from instability in the Sahel and porous borders, the interior ministry said. The kingdom remains a major departure point for migrants attempting to reach Europe through the Mediterranean, the Atlantic, or by breaching the Spanish enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla.
Since resolving a diplomatic dispute in 2022, Morocco and Spain have enhanced cooperation to combat illegal migration. Increasing border security is driving more migrants to take the longer and more dangerous Atlantic route to the Canary Islands.
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Morocco’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Nasser Bourita, met with the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk,
Chinese President Xi Jinping made a brief visit to Morocco on Thursday, according to state media from both countries. Welcomed
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