Morocco Calls for the Return of Minors, Spain Accuses It of Failing to Respond to 600 Cases

A new disagreement is pitting the two countries against each other over the fate of unaccompanied foreign minors. In a statement published on Thursday, September 10, Morocco’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs criticized the Spanish government for failing to organize the return of the migrants and minors who entered Sebta on July 30 and 31.

Rabat says it is prepared to readmit them. This position comes after the mass crossings for which Spanish services had alerted Morocco as early as the previous day and while several thousand people are still in the city.

The Spanish response came from Sira Rego, Minister for Youth and Children. Questioned on Friday on TVE, she accused Morocco of an “absence of response and action” in the procedures required to return the minors to their families.

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The minister notably referred to the case of a child who wanted to return to Morocco and whose family was ready to welcome him. According to her, this return could not be organized due to a lack of response from the Moroccan authorities.

“The child wanted to return to his family, the family wanted to welcome their child, and this was not possible because of Morocco’s lack of response and action,” she said, according to remarks reported by Libertad Digital.

The 600 cases predate the July crisis

Sira Rego refers to around 600 proceedings currently open before the Spanish prosecutor’s office. Contrary to what the context of her statements might suggest, these cases do not concern the minors who arrived during the mass crossings on July 30 and 31. They were already underway before this crisis.

Spanish procedure requires verifying the minor’s identity, establishing their parentage, locating their family and determining whether their return is in their best interests. It therefore requires exchanges of documents and cooperation between the administrations of the two countries.

According to the minister, processing a case takes at least several months and depends largely on the response time of the country of origin. She maintains that the Moroccan authorities have not followed up on the procedures concerning the 600 older cases.

Madrid also specifies that not all minors can be returned. Some no longer have an identifiable family structure in Morocco or do not have conditions allowing for a return in accordance with the guarantees provided by law. Sira Rego therefore believes that the possible returns will concern only a minority of the children in care.

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This new standoff comes as responsibility for the July crisis continues to fuel tensions. A recent Guardia Civil report found no evidence linking the digital mobilization to the Moroccan government, while other Spanish documents implicated the conduct of certain agents at the border.

Regarding the return of the minors, the positions are now reversed: Rabat says it is ready to welcome them and criticizes Madrid for its inaction, while the Spanish minister says the procedures cannot move forward without a concrete response from Morocco.