EU’s $48 Million Border Management Project in Morocco Set to Conclude

The objective of the project is "to improve the integrated management of borders and thus contribute to better migration governance in Morocco," the Spanish government said in its response on February 22 to parliamentary questions from Compromís. It also aims to "ensure the strengthening of the capacities of border agents through the provision of border surveillance equipment to improve the protection of migrants and reduce their vulnerability due to irregular migration processes," the document accessed by Europa Press states.

As part of this project, a training workshop "on the humanitarian management of borders" was organized on November 3 last year in Rabat, for more than 30 agents from various services in charge of border and migration flow management. The objective of this workshop was "to improve assistance to migrants and guarantee their rights, particularly with regard to the identification, sorting and referral to the necessary competent services in the protocol for assisting migrants in an irregular situation."

Out of the 44 million euro budget for the project, 40 million have been used to acquire equipment to improve border management, "while respecting the rights of migrants." The remaining 4 million have been used to organize training sessions on humanitarian management, for study missions and experience sharing, etc. In addition, the Spanish Ministry of the Interior has allocated 32.3 million euros in aid to Morocco to support its security forces in border management and the fight against irregular immigration.

Spain and Morocco have signed several cooperation agreements since 2012 in the areas of cross-border police cooperation, prevention of the clandestine immigration of unaccompanied minors and their concerted return, and the circulation of persons and the return of migrants. Last year, the two countries signed an agreement to combat human trafficking and illegal immigration, and set up a permanent Spanish-Moroccan group on migration.