Spain and Morocco Prepare for Massive Summer Transit Operation After 2-Year Hiatus

After the resumption of maritime passenger traffic in mid-April, Spain and Morocco are already mobilizing for the organization of Operation Marhaba 2022. Delegations from the two countries will meet in Rabat next week to prepare this Operation, canceled in 2020 and 2021 for reasons of health and diplomatic crisis, reports Huffington Post.

Spain will deploy 14,870 national police and Civil Guard agents for this year’s Transit Operation. These figures were announced during an initial working meeting held on Friday, aimed at studying the security system to be put in place for the Operation. The meeting was chaired by the Under-Secretary of the Ministry of the Interior, Isabel Goicoechea, who will also lead the Spanish delegation to Rabat on Thursday, May 5.

To read: Spain Approves Preparations for Operation Marhaba 2022, Enabling Moroccan Diaspora Travel

Operation Marhaba 2022 includes a fleet plan, provincial coordination plans and plans for each of the participating ports, security and traffic plans, as well as health and social assistance measures, in view of the health crisis related to Covid-19. Organized since 1986, it allows Moroccans in Europe to return to Morocco via the Spanish ports to spend their summer holidays.

The Transit Operation takes place each year between June 15 and September 15. It was canceled by Morocco in 2020 and 2021 for reasons of health and diplomatic crisis, causing colossal losses to Spain, estimated at nearly 1.5 billion euros and some 4,000 jobs. In 2019, 3,340,045 passengers and 760,215 vehicles participated in this Operation.