The Moroccan Ministry of Interior announced today, Tuesday, that "the Kingdom has prevented 75,184 people from illegal immigration to Europe in 2023, an increase of six percent compared to the previous year." In response to questions sent by Reuters via email, it said, "These figures reflect the resilience of border and coastal monitoring agencies." Morocco and Spain have intensified their cooperation to combat illegal immigration since settling a separate diplomatic dispute in 2022.
Morocco has long been a key launching point for African migrants seeking to reach Europe via the Mediterranean Sea or the Atlantic Ocean, or by jumping over the fences surrounding the Spanish enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla. The ministry noted that "last year saw six collective attempts to cross into Ceuta and Melilla involving more than 1,400 migrants, a decrease of 62 percent compared to 2022."
It explained that "the Moroccan navy rescued 16,818 people at sea in 2023, an increase of 35 percent compared to the previous year," adding that "Morocco was also able to dismantle 419 human smuggling networks, an increase of 44 percent from the previous year."
