Spain has granted €2.5 million to Morocco for the control of irregular migration, as the humanitarian toll has been heavy in 2024, with more than 10,400 migrants losing their lives or disappearing at sea towards Spain in 2024, according to the Spanish NGO Caminando Fronteras.
The fund is allocated for border surveillance equipment and vehicles, as the country faces unprecedented migratory pressures, with more than 63,970 irregular arrivals in 2024, an increase of 12.5 per cent, compared to the previous year.
The funding, distributed through the International and Ibero-American Foundation for Administration and Public Policies (FIIAPP), chaired by Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares, will provide Morocco with 183 motorcycles worth €660,000 and 33 vehicles worth €1.9 million.
This equipment aims to strengthen the mobility and response capabilities of Moroccan security forces in mountainous and coastal areas that are difficult to access.
The contract includes the delivery of all-terrain vehicles, trucks, ambulances, boats and advanced surveillance equipment such as thermal cameras and night vision devices. Technical training for maintenance personnel is also planned to ensure the proper functioning of the vehicles.
This latest aid is part of a broader €120 million support programme implemented by the government of Pedro Sanchez.
Since 2019, Spain has provided tens of millions of euros to Rabat to support its fight against irregular immigration.
The European Union has contributed over €360 million since 2013, including €234 million from the EU Emergency Trust Fund for Africa, according to a February 2022 EU document.
The Canary Islands have become the main entry point, receiving 46,843 arrivals in 2024, a 17 per cent increase compared to 2023.
Mali leads the countries of origin with 11,155 arrivals, followed by Senegal with 5,866, while Morocco ranks fourth with 2,807 migrants.
Contrasting regional trends show that Melilla is experiencing its lowest migration figures since the 1990s, with just 113 arrivals in 2024, compared to 340 in 2023.
Maritime arrivals to Melilla fell by 88.3%, while land entries decreased by 42.5 per cent.
The humanitarian toll has been heavy, with more than 10,400 migrants losing their lives or going missing at sea, while trying to reach Spain in 2024, according to Spanish NGO Caminando Fronteras – a 58 per cent increase from 6,618 deaths in 2023.
In November 2024, Morocco’s Interior Ministry reported that authorities had prevented 48,963 irregular migration attempts and dismantled 210 criminal networks involved in human trafficking.
In August alone, Moroccan authorities prevented 14,648 migrants from illegally entering Ceuta and Melilla.
Spanish Defense Minister Margarita Robles called Morocco’s cooperation “total and absolute,” while Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares praised the country’s efforts to address mass migration attempts.
MK/Sf/ac/fss/gik/APA