The EU also wants to finalize a migration pact with Morocco by the end of 2024. The “Krone” learned this from high-ranking diplomats from Brussels. But this time it’s not necessarily about money.
Although there has been no official agreement so far, the EU has been paying Morocco almost a billion euros since 2014 and until 2027 under cooperation programs, so that the country can play the ‘bouncer’ for Europe. Spain alone has given 125 million to Mohammed VI’s kingdom since 2019. transferred. Logically, at its narrowest point, Morocco is only 20 kilometers from Spain and therefore from mainland Europe. Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer negotiated a repatriation agreement with Morocco last year, which the Interior Ministry said was “working very well.” the weekend.
Morocco and the EU have been negotiating for seven years, and the moment will come at the end of this year. Curious: This deal was made necessary by the agreement with Turkey. The Turkish president has raised almost nine billion euros since 2016 to prevent Syrian and Afghan refugees from entering Europe. They shifted the escape routes to the west. This mainly led from Libya to the Italian coast. A dangerous route. This and the rigorous crackdown on smuggling gangs made the route via Morocco more attractive.
In 2018, migration from Morocco to Spain and Portugal peaked at more than 65,000 migrants. This is the first and only time this passage has recorded higher numbers than the Central or Eastern routes.
International recognition Western Sahara
But cooperation with the kingdom comes at a price. Not financially, but politically. The agreement means that the EU supports Morocco’s territorial claim to Western Sahara. In return, Morocco supports the European refugee policy. Under international law, the status of Western Sahara is internationally controversial. Spain has already recognized its former colony as Moroccan territory, and the US did so in 2020 as part of a political deal: in return, the kingdom normalized its diplomatic relations with Israel.
But Morocco wants to be free from dependencies. The kingdom has partnerships with China, Russia, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, the US and the EU. You need these partners. Major investment projects such as jointly organizing the 2030 Football World Cup with Portugal, plans for a tunnel between Europe and Africa through the Strait of Gibraltar and the establishment of industry are Morocco’s major, ambitious plans.
Source: Krone
I am Ida Scott, a journalist and content author with a passion for uncovering the truth. I have been writing professionally for Today Times Live since 2020 and specialize in political news. My career began when I was just 17; I had already developed a knack for research and an eye for detail which made me stand out from my peers.
