Oblivious to the enormous noise of Spanish politics, with the successive scandals of the espionage to the independentists and the Prime Minister, Pedro Sanchezand the Defense Minister, Margaret Oaks, the diplomatic peace between Spain and Morocco opens the way and begins to bear its first fruits. Even with the stress that Rabat has been singled out as the possible author of the intrusion into Sánchez’s phone and the theft of data, with the Pegasus software.
The two countries have chosen to cover their ears and, while they continue to negotiate the reopening of borders in Ceuta and melilla, have complied with one of the points included in the joint statement that sealed the end of the long crisis between Madrid and Rabat: the meeting of the Spanish-Moroccan permanent group to relaunch and strengthen cooperation on migration. One of the issues that most interests the Spanish Government. In fact, the dependence that Spain has on Morocco in controlling the migratory flow, drug trafficking or jihadism are the explanation for the support that the Executive has given to its autonomy plan for Western Sahara.
A spanish delegationchaired by the Secretary of State for Migration, Jesús Javier Perea, together with the Secretary of State for Security, Rafael Pérez, and the Secretary of State for Foreign and Global Affairs, Ángeles Moreno, met this Friday in Rabat with the director of the Migration and Border Surveillance of Morocco, Khalid Zarouali, and other representatives of his Government.
Collaboration grows stronger
At that meeting, among other issues, it was agreed strengthen coordination mechanisms and exchange of information, with new working methods in the Centers for Police Cooperation and liaison officers and the decision to strengthen joint patrols, with agents from the Civil Guard and the Royal Gendarmerie, which have been suspended since the start of the pandemic. The goal is to resume them from the month of July. As is the case with the closing of the borders, this is another of the issues that Morocco kept stranded to pressure Spain and make it give in on the turn on the Sahara.
But now, in this new stage of bilateral relations, not only are these mixed patrols to monitor immigrationbut the commitment is to expand its structure and deployment areas to adapt to the new starting points for irregular immigration on the routes to Spain, the Atlantic and the western Mediterranean.
returns
The purpose is to extend these exchanges to other cities and that the coexistence of both security forces be between 7 and 10 days. All these details will be discussed at a new meeting in Spain at the end of May, between members of the General Immigration and Borders Commission of the National Police and Moroccan immigration and border agents to continue improving operations to combat irregular immigration networks. according to sources from the Spanish delegation.
The meeting also discussed the need for the illegal immigrant return operations “as a disincentive element for departures to the Canary Islands” and to fight against the dismantling of human trafficking networks. It is above all a Spanish claim. Morocco accepts more or less returns, depending on the temperature of its relationship with Spain. The two countries have now agreed to provide “swift and flexible” responses and focus on the repatriation of minors, which Rabat only accepts “properly identified”.
Morocco asks for more money
In return for their collaboration, Morocco asks for more money from the new Multiannual Financial Framework of the European Union and Spain has promised to defend it in Brussels because it recognizes “the great effort made by the Moroccan authorities in the fight against illegal immigration”.
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If cooperation and communication continue along these lines, a meeting should be held before the end of the year High Level Meeting (RAN) between the two governments. After such a deep disagreement and with the Spanish cession that has meant the endorsement of the Moroccan proposal on the Sahara, only the confirmation that the secret services of Mohammed VI spied on Sánchez, they could end this honeymoon. But this seems highly unlikely.
Although the Prime Minister’s phone was tapped at the hardest moment of the crisis with Rabatthese types of attacks cannot normally be attributed.