Good relations with Morocco benefit the border areas, says Canary Islands president

On Mar 28, 2023

In a statement released on Monday, the president of the Canary Islands stated that “excellent relations between Spain and Morocco help the border regions” and that “the new energy that characterizes relations is favorable for the Canary Islands’ present and future.”

In a meeting called by Congress on Monday, Angel Victor Torres stated that “all border regions are the first to suffer when ties are bad.” According to the official, things are “normalizing” and “improving” between the two nations at the moment.

On unauthorized immigration to the archipelago, he asserted that “without a doubt, the number of immigrants has dropped over time,” adding that “it is apparent that the good relations between the two countries have led to more vigilance.”

“We are experiencing a new momentum when irregular migration drops in the Canary Islands by 60, or 40%.”

“The flow of migrants increases considerably at times of tension between the two countries, making it impossible to control the situation at certain times,” the official continued.

Prior to his two-day official visit to Morocco two weeks ago, Angel Victor Torres met with Minister of Foreign Affairs Nasser Bourita and Head of Government Aziz Akhannouch.

With reference to the later meeting, Torres stated that the border regions will be protected by both parties, emphasizing the importance of the Kingdom in defending Spain against unauthorized immigration.

According to the Spanish Ministry of Interior’s annual report for 2022, the number of illegal migrant flows from sub-Saharan Africa, which leave from Morocco’s southern coast, has decreased.

According to data from the ministry, which was reported in the DEBATE daily, “the number of migrants who entered Spain illegally throughout 2022 is 29,999, 8,980 less than it was in 2021 by almost 23%.”

As a result of Moroccan-Spanish security cooperation and the Melilla-Nador border wall tragedy, according to official data, migrant flows decreased. Some migrants chose to leave the area and look for other opportunities outside of the enclave.

The Spanish Ministry of Interior observed an increase in immigration rates to roughly 73.2% at the beginning of last year compared to the year before. However, this increment increased to 34.7% after a month.