The Tension Between Spain and Morocco

BBC.2021

Morocco is the closest country to Europe, just over 8 miles apart from Africa and Europe, making it a strategic point, especially on migration issues. There is a Spanish enclave - an autonomous region ruled by another country - called Ceuta, which is the closest point from Gibraltar, a Spanish city, in a narrow space called the Strait of Gibraltar. It is relevant to notice that the state of Morocco acts like a barrier for immigrants that intended to reach Ceuta and go to Europe, making Spain dependent on Morocco for controlling the migrants.

That said, Spain needs to keep good relations with Morocco, but, in the last few weeks, Spain accepted Brahim Ghali's entry to receive medical treatment against COVID-19. Ghali is the leader of the Polisario Front, an armed political movement for the Independence of the western Sahara, which Morocco understands as its territory. Spain says that They received Ghali for humanitarian reasons, however, Morocco did not accept this version. Therefore, many analysts say that Morocco loosened the border with Ceuta, allowing at least 8 thousand people to reach Ceuta – a much higher flow than usual. The images of the immigrants show people of all ages, from babies to the elderly.

A Political embarrassment has become a humanitarian crisis, with at least one person dead. Anyway, Morocco stiffened the border with Ceuta, demonstrating that recent events were a warning not only for Europe but for the whole continent. In the last few years, the question of the migrants became a crucial part of the political rhetoric, whether as humanitarian responsibility to help those who ask for help or as a bad thing for the European integration.

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