Morocco's king says migration deal with Spain has hit its limits after 70,000 crossed into Ceuta

Relations between Morocco and Spain had improved after Spain backed Morocco’s autonomy plan for Western Sahara in 2022.

Then, in July, at least 70,000 people crossed from Morocco into the Spanish enclave of Ceuta, putting the bilateral relationship under strain. Most have since returned, though thousands, including minors, remain in Ceuta.

Spanish opposition parties blamed Pedro Sanchez’s government for the crisis and accused Morocco of facilitating the crossing. Morocco rejected that account, attributing the arrivals to social media and to misreadings of a court ruling that appeared to create a legal opening for arrivals by sea.

On Friday, King Mohammed VI said Morocco’s work to curb irregular migration had produced “concrete results”, while declaring that the existing cooperation model with Spain had reached its limits amid recurring crises.

The king cited Spanish court decisions he described as “obsolete” and “unrealistic”, saying they were hindering migration cooperation. He said the decisions were “regrettably impeding the repatriation of minors and of fake asylum seekers, while fueling the greed of criminal networks.”

His remarks place renewed pressure on a partnership that has faced a test since the Ceuta crisis. The king said cooperation with Spain was a “sovereign choice” and that “it will never be subject to any pressure, threat, or blackmail.”

Morocco would put forward a vision for its partners based on shared development, economic competitiveness and regional stability, he said.

In a separate political development, Mohammed VI appointed Fatima Ezzahra El Mansouri as Morocco’s first female prime minister after her party finished first in the September 23 election. The king also urged members of parliament to place young people at the centre of public policy.