Morocco Considers Permanent Closure of Bab Sebta Border Crossing

For the government, the time has not yet come for a clear decision on the issue of a definitive closure of this crossing point, which takes into account thousands of people as well as many urban centers. Nevertheless, the issue of closing this crossing "is under study, the government is examining it and is paying particular attention to it," said El Hassan Abyaba, Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports, government spokesman, at the end of the last council of government, to our colleagues from the daily Al Massae.

According to El Hassan Abyaba, the Executive is especially studying "the reasons that could lead it to decide to keep it open, or to opt for a completely different decision". In other words, this is a very delicate issue. Moreover, the daily recalls that the temporary closure had caused many inconveniences. Indeed, "thousands of people engaged in food smuggling transit there every day, as well as merchants from neighboring towns," the daily observes.

Furthermore, according to official statistics, more than 3,500 women are engaged in this activity, making round trips between F’nideq and Sebta under inhumane conditions, the daily notes, citing the many deaths caused by the crowds at this crossing point.

It should be recalled that several recommendations had been made by the parliamentary mission of "prospecting on the situation of neglected children and women-mules at the Bab Sebta crossing point". The parliamentarians, members of the commission, in particular pleaded for a real economic alternative, by offering incentive benefits for income-generating activities in the two provinces. This, by ensuring the "launch of an industrial zone in the medium term likely to absorb the women engaged in food smuggling," the same source points out.