Morocco has significantly increased its efforts to curb illegal migration to Europe, according to the state news agency MAP. The agency reported that, based on interior ministry data, Moroccan authorities have stopped 45,015 individuals from illegally entering Europe and disrupted 177 migrant trafficking gangs since the beginning of 2024. While the ministry did not provide comparative figures for the same period in 2023, it did note that Morocco apprehended 75,184 migrants attempting to cross into Europe in 2023, representing a 6% increase from the previous year.
The Moroccan navy has also been actively involved in rescue operations at sea, successfully saving 10,859 migrants during the first months of 2024. The ministry attributed this surge in migration attempts to the ongoing instability in the Sahel region and porous borders, stating that Morocco continues to experience mounting migratory pressure.
Morocco has long been a significant departure point for African migrants seeking to reach Europe via the Mediterranean Sea, the Atlantic Ocean, or by attempting to cross the fence surrounding the Spanish enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla. Following a reconciliation in diplomatic relations with Spain in 2022, the two countries have strengthened their collaboration in addressing illegal migration. Nevertheless, hundreds of migrants managed to swim to Ceuta last month, taking advantage of a thick mist, according to Spanish police.
The heightened surveillance along Morocco’s northern borders has prompted an increasing number of migrants to choose the riskier and longer Atlantic route to the Canary Islands, further highlighting the complex challenges facing Morocco in managing migration flows.
