Within the framework of the regular political dialogue between the Kingdom of Morocco and the European Union, the European Commissioner for Home Affairs, Ylva Johansson, and the Spanish Minister of Interior Fernando Grande Marlasca met in Rabat with the Moroccan Minister of the Interior, Abdelouafi Laftit on July 8, 2022.
While highlighting the compelling results of their cooperation based on shared responsibility in the field of migration, they agreed to renew their partnership to deal with human trafficking networks, especially after the emergence of new methods and highly violent measures adopted by these criminal networks. They condemn the actions of these networks from their partners and everyone who helps them.
The Commissioner and the Ministers mourn all the deaths of people who attempted to migrate irregularly, including those that occurred during the recent traumatic events on June 24, 2022. They also mourn the injuries, including among Moroccan and Spanish law enforcement officers.
These events, in addition to their dimensions of human tragedy, are indicative of the gravity and violence of human trafficking networks that are willing to take all the risks.
Investigations are continuing to clarify aspects related to these events. At the same time, the European Commissioner and the two ministers welcomed the fact-finding mission carried out by the National Council for Human Rights in the Kingdom of Morocco with the aim of establishing the facts.
Respect for fundamental rights is a common value between Morocco and the European Union.
The new operational partnership in the field of combating human trafficking between UNHCR and Morocco could cover, in particular, support for border management, strengthening police cooperation, including joint investigations, raising awareness of the risks of irregular migration, as well as strengthening cooperation with EU agencies responsible for internal affairs.
Morocco is a strategic and committed partner of the European Union, and the partnership with it in the field of migration goes back several years. The National Strategy for Immigration and Asylum (SNIA) is now one of the most advanced models of migration management, both legislative and institutional, that has made it possible to regularize the administrative status of several thousand migrants and integrate into Moroccan society.
Morocco is also one of the founding countries of the Rabat Process, and His Majesty King Mohammed VI was chosen by these African presidents as the leader of the African continent in migration issues.
Morocco's operational efforts prevent tens of thousands of irregular departures to Europe with a large number rescued at sea, and Morocco, during the same period, also proceeded to dismantle a hundred criminal networks for human trafficking.
Under the new Migration and Asylum Pact, UNHCR forges partnerships with countries of origin, transit, and destination. To combat human trafficking networks, but also address the root causes of migration and improve opportunities for legal migration so that people do not feel the need to risk their lives on dangerous journeys.