Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and German Chancellor Angela Merkel have stressed at their meeting in Sanlúcar de Barrameda, Spain, at the weekend on the need to intensify co-operation between the European Union (EU) and Morocco in the area of migration.
“Morocco is suffering from the pressure of migratory flows from sub-Saharan Africa and we need to strengthen our co-operation not only with countries of origin but also with transit countries such as the Kingdom,” Sanchez said at a media conference following his meeting with the German leader.
Sanchez recalled the conclusions of the European Council held last June, which reflected the commitment of all EU institutions and EU member States to the need to strengthen co-operation with Morocco and to give the Kingdom a key role in managing migration flows”.
“The German chancellor and I share the conviction that Morocco is one of the major partners of the European Union and Spain,” the Spanish premier pointed out, noting that negotiations are underway with the European Commission (EC) to unlock the necessary financial resources to help Morocco in the management of migratory flows.
Merkel also stressed that the EU should intensify its co-operation with Morocco in the area of migration. “We have to intensify our support for Morocco and Tunisia,” Merkel said.
“They are border countries and they need our help. “Morocco, a country that plays a very important role in the area of migration, is also a partner with whom we have economic relations and close contacts. No country can be exempt from the challenge of migration.” Merkel said Europe “should not only talk about Africa but also with Africa in order to address the phenomenon of migration and come up with a common position at the Summit of Heads of State and Government, scheduled for Salzburg in September.”
Since the beginning of 2018, more than 24,000 migrants and refugees from Africa have entered Europe through a perilous journey across the Mediterranean, according to the UN’s International Organization for Migration (IOM).