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Morocco Uses Migrant Surge to Pressure Spain Over Western Sahara
🇸🇪 Sweden /Conflict & Security

Morocco Uses Migrant Surge to Pressure Spain Over Western Sahara

From Dagens Nyheter · () Swedish

Translated from Swedish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

Analysis Sources not specified Context piece
  • Morocco is using a surge of migrants to Ceuta as leverage against Spain over the Western Sahara issue.
  • Thousands of migrants swam to the Spanish enclave of Ceuta from Morocco overnight, a tactic previously used in 2021 after Spain hosted a separatist leader.
  • This migrant flow challenges the EU's common migration policy, with Morocco's King Mohammed VI showing no fear of Spain or the EU.

The Spanish enclave of Ceuta is once again facing an acute migrant crisis, with thousands of people swimming from Morocco in a bid to reach European soil. This latest influx is seen as the newest manifestation of a long-standing, bitter relationship between Spain and Morocco.

Thousands of migrants, perhaps more, continued to swim and wade the three kilometers between Fnideq in Morocco and Ceuta during the night.

— A colleague at the Spanish newspaper El ConfidentialDescribing the scale of the migrant influx into Ceuta.

The situation escalated after Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez visited Algeria last week. This visit aimed to mend ties after Spain's 2022 shift in stance on the Western Sahara conflict, which saw it back Morocco's autonomy plan. Algeria, a key energy supplier, responded by terminating its friendship treaty with Spain and reducing natural gas exports.

The flow of migrants is both a carrot and a whip in Morocco's Spanish policy.

— Nathan ShacharExplaining Morocco's strategic use of migration in its relationship with Spain.

Morocco has historically used the flow of migrants as a tool in its dealings with Spain. When Spain takes a stance on Western Sahara that displets Morocco, the borders of Ceuta and Melilla, another Spanish exclave, become vulnerable. This time, the surge followed a Spanish court ruling that prevented Ceuta police from turning away individuals who swam ashore. Social media in Morocco had alerted thousands of young people to a relaxed coastal watch, giving them an opportunity to cross.

Nothing happens near Ceuta and Melilla without a decision at the highest level in Morocco.

— Nathan ShacharHighlighting Morocco's centralized control over actions affecting its enclaves.

This coordinated migrant surge is not merely a bilateral issue between Spain and Morocco. It represents a direct challenge to the European Union's efforts to establish a unified migration policy. King Mohammed VI of Morocco, known to be favored by Donald Trump, appears unfazed by potential repercussions from either Spain or the EU, signaling a bold assertion of his nation's influence.

But this time Morocco is also challenging the entire EU and its attempts to pursue a common migration policy.

— Nathan ShacharEmphasizing the broader implications of Morocco's actions for the EU.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Dagens Nyheter in Swedish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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